The Bismarck tribune., 1920-11-26

W. POb'So0 Ss0u' SV''Ss SNP W s~PS
Which Is Of Great Importance to
United States Cable Communica-
tions From the Far East-In Amer.
ican samoas United States Main-
tains a South Sea soIdiery-Day Of
Sword Passes in Philippines.
As many swplI-informcd Americans
seem to think, the United States pos
Sessons in the Pacific are not limited
to the Philippines and Hawaii They
include also IS of the Guano islands,
portion of the Samoan group, Guam,
Wake and Midway; and a claim on
! zap, as against Japan's treaty right
to the island. The supreme council OF
the League of Nations is to determine
whether zap, which is of great inn
/ portance to American cable commune
catiolk from the Far East. shaH be
added 10 the insular holdings of the
United States. .. ...- ~.
Count Won Bernstorfr speaks repeat
/ edly in his book, MY Three Years in
America, Of the "lmperialistic party"
in the United States. japanese pubica-
tionS refer frequently to the United
States as imperialist in its ambitions
and even in China there are factions
which regard Washington with sus-
piciOn. Their distrust is stimulated by
the assumption in the United States
of q holier-than-thOu ,attitude of al
truism toward the Far East, toward
China in particular, naively unaware
Of the national territorial, CONNER
cial and political interests in the Pa
| cific.
No one familiar with American tras
ditions and aspirations is likely to be-
lieye that Washington will embark on
a policy Ut conquest or aggrandize-
ment, but righteous pretense that
American interests are wholly unseltsh
does more harm than good. In the
Philippines alone are more than 1OO,-
600 square miles Of territory and 1O,-
0OO,OOO- people. Honolulu IS of vital
value as a trading post and naval
strategic point.
In the American Samoas the United
States government maintains a South
sea sOldiery. and at Pago Pago on the
island Of Tutuila, one of the finest
harbors of the Pacific, it has naval
station. The station lies at trade
cross roads between North America
and Australia, Panama and the Orient.
The navy department has supervision
of Tutuila, and naval officers govern
this and five other islands.
| A Picturesque Soldiery.
When a native sOldiery was recruit
ed in the Samoas, the naval officers
thought the costume to which they
were accustomed too undignified for
the service of the United States, and
prescribed regulation uniform: but
the Fita-Fitas, as they are called, suf'
fered so under the surplus Of clothes
that they were permitted CONSIDERABLY
TO return to their accustomed garb
The fatigue uniform now consists OF
black kilt or short shirt with q
bright red stripe around the bottom, a
leather belt, a dagger and red tur'
ban. The dress uniform consists OF
the kilt, called a lava-lava, a sleeve
less white cotton shirt, the turban and
the dagger. The native soldery acts
also As a police force, guards prison
ers and quells personal fights in addi
ton to its military duties. The mer
are tall, broad-shoudered and goot
looking, and would be source Of
pride If more Americans knew they
had such picturesque fighters among
their forces under arms.
In the Philippines and Guano island.
the United States maintains native con
stabularies. In all American eastern
possessions detachments Of the regular
army are Oh duty or readily available
to call.
= Most Americans are familiar to some
degree with the conditions under
which the United States acquired the
Philippines and Hawaii, and the meth
od of government there, but many OF
them, forget that the sultan Of SuIu is
aot merely a comic opera figure. bu
nee. lived as a ruler, and that Leonard
Wood relieved him Of his duties ant
for ten years maintained mililar,
s1lzerainty. The government of Moro
land, as well as the rest Of the Phil
.ippines, Is now civil and the MOIam
medan Moros, who once thought il ;
distinction and privilege to attach
Christians, live peacefully with tht
Filipinos of different faith. The da;
of the sword seems to have passed
and the day of the textbook to hayt
come. The natives are being educated
and the islands developed agricultural
ly. AS the process goes ahead. thu
commercial interest Of the Vnite'
States grows proportonately, and 81
does the interest Of Japan, .--,,.
The japanese. .......
MIndanao is the second largest o.
the Philippine islands. Its best-devel
oped agricultural region is the fertile
valley Of the Gulf of Davao. Here
American, European and japanese
planters have developed magnificen
hemp plantations. OF late Japanese
capitalists have bought up most o
them. The labor supply is a serious
=. problem there, and the increasin,
stream of Japanese immigrants ha
4 ,,,h;lo ot thu ~,