El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-18
by
Frank G. Carpenter
Copyright. 1915, BY
Frank c. Carpenter

and amanuensis. She had some
money and became interested in the
trade and commerce of the South
sea islands.
Along about 1879 she bought OF the
natives, in the Bismarck archipelago.
large tracts of land. on what is now
known as the Island OF New Pommern.
and established a trading house there.
She had many plantations, one Of
which included about $4,000 acres Her
holdings, which were extended 70
Kaiser Wilhelmsland. were soon in
creased to 10000 acres, and within
a short time she had almost monopO-
lized the trade Of the islands. She
grew rich She employed thousands
Of natives and knew how TO handle
them. They loved her and she de-
nounced the cruelty Of the Germans
toward them Mrs Forsythe got the
title Of queen Emma, and was known
as such when she again married. tax
ing this time young German officer,
named Kobe. She went to Europe
with him and became popular at the
court Of Berlin She died in 1917 in
Monte Carlo.
Samoan Colonies.
Returning TO the German colonies
IN Samoa. they consist OF a group
OF Islands juts west OF those that be-
long TO the United States The area Of
the size OF Rhode Island. and its pop
ulation Is about 10000. In 1914 it had
about 600 whites and 5000 Chinese.
OF the whites, 575 were Germans. con.
sisting chiefly of officials and plant
ers- When war was declared a New
zealand expedition started out for
samoa They were soon Joined by
three British cruisers, and the little
fleet called first at New Caledonia.
belonging to the French. There II was
Joined by the F-ench freet and two
Australian ships. and al moved on in
force toward Apia, the capital Of the
Island OF UpOio. the chief German
STRONGHOLD Of that part OF the world.
The Germans were looking for their
own fleet. and were surprised when
they saw this squadron come in. They
surrendered without fighting and a
later the German flag was
torn down and the Union Jack went
Islands have been managed by the
New Zealanders, and New Zealand
VIII surely insist that they be given (
over to her as one OF the terms OF
peace.
Once Britain's.
The Samoan Islands formerly be-
longed to Great Britain. and when T.
they were given to Germany. New
Zealand protested. This was along
about 1900, when we got possession OF I
rutuila and the other islands adjoln- /
me. At that time DR.. Solf was ad- /
ninistrator Of the German interests /
in Samoa and he may be depended /
anon to protest against snv surrender
II the Islands. At the time the Islands /
Tehe given No. Richard Seldom. then /
premier OF New Zealand. denounced /
he action. saying that the surrender
y Samoa had "disheartened the na-
.lTeS, disappointed the peoples Of
Australasia, and lowered the prestige
II Great Britain in that part OF the
world"
American Samoa.
American Samoa IS close to German
samoa We have three good sized
Stands. and the best harbor in the
so that, at the peace
conference. Australia and New Zea-
and can hardly object TO our admins
.erinS the whole group. II We desire
o do so. So far. our methods have
1een civilizrng and uplifting. in con-
rast with those OF the Germans We
rave naval station and wireless
itation there. and the naval command
INT is the governor and practically
'upreme. although he works through
he natives.
Natives RuIe.
We have organized our islands into
hree political divisions. each of
which has a native governor and IN
Ter him. native chiefs, who. IN turn,
ave village chiefs under them. This
makes the country, practically, a re-
'uniic- we have established village
ourts with a supreme court Of ap-
zeal. We are organizing schools.
nd doing all that we can to BETTER
nd conditions OF the people At the
resent time, we have only about one
hird as many natives as the Islands
belonging to the Germans, but our !
.atives are by far the more prosper
us and happy.
The New Zealand government isl
low administering the affairs Of Ger
nan Samoa. and the Australians have I
AIKEN charge OF the Marshall Islands.
which are away off to the westward.
ot a great distance from the German
possessions in New Guinea The Mar
halls, as well as the Carolines and
sadrones, further west, were captured / {
y the japanese at the beginning Of :
he war They administered the is I
ands for a time. but about a year ago
hey handed part Of them over to the ,
australian forces As II is now. The /
n