Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-16

Nearly $500 miles from San Fran
| cisco the Stars and Stripes flies over
! the southermost of the United States
| detached territories. certain OF the Sa-
moan Islands. Nearly so years ago re-
lations were so friendly between this
country and Samoan chiefs that 1t was
! possible to establish a naval station
there. and, since the beginning OF the
| twentieth century the islands have
| formally by international treaty and
cession of the natives been under the
control of the United States.
| Because of the great open spaces
! in the Pacific Ocean, it is hard to re-
alize that these islands are almost as
| far from Hawaii as the distance across
the North Atlantic. Dots in that great
expanse, they afford anchorages for
! American ships where supplies can
| be obtained, and where oil-burning
naval vessels can put in to take on
oil
1t is obvious now, after the flight Of
the Southern Cross, that American Sa-
moa and the mere pin-points on the
map, belonging to this country-HoWland,
Baker, Jarvis Christmas. Palmyra and
Wake Islands-may afford stepping
stones for aircraft. Who knows but
they will become busy. though tiny,
/
dianapolis and other inland towns be-
came great railroad centers as result
of the advance of the iron horse?
Poetic Names.
! Some of the islands have musical
names, such as Tutuila, Aunuu, Tau
Olosega and Ofu, the last three com
| prising the Manua group. Rose and
SWANS Islands are Samoan even II the
appellations sound as though they
| might be found just off BlackwelPS.
! OF volcanic formation they are al
mountainous, the island of Tutuila af-
fording harbor that is known through
out the Pacific as a haven. In the
worst storms ships can anchor in Page
Page, that unusual bay which Is formed
| in the crater of volcano, one side be-
ing open to the sea. There is located
the American naval station, manned by
16 officers, who under the commandant
supervise the islands, and a compile
ment of around $50 enlisted men.
In an equable tropical climate which
supports life abundantly with bread
| fruit, yams, taro, coconutS anC
bananas, natives exhorted to industry
| by their chiefs gather and prepare
copra for sale to toiletry manufacture
ers. This product, which is the dried
meat of the coconut, yields oil, and Is
| purchased by American and European
firms to be made into coconut buffers
and SOaps-sometimes into salad oil
| At the request. yearly voted, OF the
| natives the Government handles the
copra contract. BY the system OF ask
ing for bids and by their better in
formation, officials are able to make the
best bargains with the contractors.
Benefit by Past Experience.
Just as parents discipline their children
for their good, so the United States
protects its people by certain regula-
lions. For instance, to help the
Samoans help themselves. there is an
edict that they may not sell their land.
In this way white men, Americans or
foreign, cannot ultimately push them
into reservations by depriving them OF
their property.
That this has proved beneficial to
the natives of Samoa is demonstrated
by the receipts they obtained from the
sales of copra last year. They received
only a little less than 100000 for the
crop that Is their source Of revenue, and
which enables them to pay taxes and
have cash for the few things 1t Is neceS-
sary for them to buy.
The taxes made possible by this
money making enterprise provide for
the establishment of schools and for
building roads, draining swamps and
repairing buildings.
Organized on a loosely communistic
system, the family is the unit of local
government. All labor is done for and
the rewards turned over to the family