Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-09
OMAHA NAVAL OFFICER RETURNS WITH TALES OF
SEVEN YEARS. LIFE WITH THE NATIVES OF GUAM
Palm Hut, Pot Of V vegetables,
Chickens, Cow, Yard of Denim
Make Omar Poverty Stricken
If the Hut Blows Down They Build Another, Says
Lieutenant Wilcox-Have No Style Shows, But
Revel in a Band and Movie Outfit-Favorite
Household Pets Are Native Lizards

used for plowing. The natives have
cattle, horses, mules; goats and
poultry. There are some dogs but
they are not held in high favor.
Mosquitoes, ants, weevils and other
insect life are encountered fire.
quently. Lizards of the four-fo
variety prey upon poultry, but
smaller lizards are household pets,
running along the ceilings as if they
belonged there.
Hookworms and Typhoons.
Hookworms also are part Of the
daily life of the natives. Typhoons
and earthquakes are common. The
last severe typhoon occurred during
1912, when the island was almost
devastated. The housing problem
is not so serious, because most of
the homes are thatched with coconut
leaves or palm leaves, which are ap-
piled with native dexterity. Many
native families use only one room
for the family sleeping apartment.
Pajamas are considered prcfane.
Mas made of grasses are frequently,
used as beds.
The island Of Guam is 80 miles
long and in width it is from four to
eight miles, with a shore line of
220 miles. The highest peak rises
to an elevation Of 1884 feet. 1t is
the largest of a group of II islands
of volcanic origin. The natives are
known as "Chamorros," and it is be-
lieved that they migrated from the
Malay Archipelago later than the
Polynesians. They have brown skin,
straight, black hair: dark eyes, oval
face, well-formed features, and pro-
nlincnt nose and lips.
Queen Pangelinan. a
"The Guam News Letter." pub
lished at Agana by the naval gov
ernment of Guam, is an interesting
publication which chronicles the
events of this insular domain. A
copy of recent issue was brought to
Omaha by Lieutenant Wilcox. An
account is given of an industrial fair
held in Agana last summer, when
Miss Josehna Pangelinan was
crowned queen by popular vote.
This 14-year-old native girl was at
tended hV maids of honor in pink
and white and special color guard
selected from the ranks of the Guam
cadets. Governor Gilmer crowned
the young queen of the fair. Re-
ports of the exhibits of the fair in
dicate that the girls of the public
schools are being taught domestic
science, sewing and art. The boys
are being taught the manual arts.
The native idea of moving along
the lines of least resistance has been
notified by the promotion of indus
try and production under the admin
istration of Governor Gilmer. The
island is divided into six districts,
each under a commissioner. An ex-
pertinent station has been estab-
lished by the government, with an |
agricultural experiment station agent |
and an inspector of crops to lead
and assist in cultivation.
The following are extracts taken |
from recent executive general or
ders, which are equivalent to law:
Everybody Must Work.
every able-bodied male inhabi- |
tant of Guam over l6 years of age
and under so years of age whose oc-
cupation is farming or who has no
regular work will be required to cul-
tivate at least one hectare of land.
People who own no land must work |
for those who have land or must |
lease or purchase land.
Each family will be required to |
have at least the following stock or |
fowl: One bull caraboa or other
work animal, l COW, 2 sows, IS hens,
3 roosters."