Evening star., 1935-10-20

an - VA
as British. The map of the Pacific
made by our own War Department
for use at the conference on Pacific
relations back in 1922, sets their
status down as unsettled" as between
claims of British and Americans
If there were any question of the
ownership of these islands, the Bureau
of Air Commerce evidently thought
it would be removed if colonies oi
American citizens were planted or
them. There would be great advan-
tage to the development Of Pacific air
navigation also if the United States
had on these islands citizens who
could make weather observations and
develop the data that might be most
useful in the future. The islands
therefore, should be colonized with
American citizens.
Unique Plan of Colonization.
Mr.. Martin met Mr.. Miller in Homo
lulu, consultations were held with
certain persons there, and a rather
unique plan of colonization with
decidedly South Sea twist to it was
worked out.
There is in Honolulu an endowed
school of very high standing to which
only youngsters of Hawaiian blood are
admitted. 1t is the Kamehameha
School, established by an Hawaiian
princess. In that school we're many
young men, just coming to maturity
who had more or less scientific train
ing and who, being of Hawaiian origin
had the instinct and the experience
of the race which for thousands OF
years had made its home in these
islands and taken its subsistence from
the waters about them They were
good American citizens by birth and
experience, out racially different since
they were members of the Polynesian
division of the peoples of the world
one of the five fundamental families
Mr.. Miller selected II likely young
men from the upper classes OF this
school They were put on Govern
ment pay rolls, outfltted and taken tc
Jarvis, Baker and Rowland by tht
Coast Guard cutter Itasca and fouI
of them were placed on each island
These groups built habitations by a
process as simple as setting up army
tents which was less difficult than the
methods of the log cabin pioneers OF
the Daniel Boone and Davy Crocket
types. Then tall fagpoles were erected
and the banner that floats over Aloha
Tower. in Honolulu Harbor, and 1900
PENNSYLVANIA avenue, in Washington
was unfurled. Then notices of colonl'
zation were posted. These were Of
lead that they might endure and vert
to the effect that the given island hao
been settled by citizens of the United
States and that no trespassing Woulc
be allowed. Then there was the matter
of getting used to the isolation, at
tending to the chores OF the assign
ment. and watching the days drift by
But with four boys to the group, hert
in a strange land teeming with move
animal life and the whole blue Pacific
in which to swim, time did not hang
heavily on these Hawaiian youths. Anc
the numerical force of the group sug'
gests that Director Miller in his quietel
moments may have been devotee o!
bridge.
Virtual Robinson Crusoes.
To cite but single adventure there
was for the quartet on Jarvis the busi'
ness of exploring the wreck of the
Amaranth in which they found dishe:
| for their table, coal for their stove, 6
baby carriage for which they had nc
use at all, and a bottle Of hair tonic
in perfect state of preservation.
These boys became virtual Robinson
CrusoeS. There they have lived fol
the past eight months with only two
visits from people of the outside world
There they have had grand expert
enceS and written the record of the
lives that have been theirs and the
action of wind and wave in this zenith
of all the isolated and lonesome
stretches of the worlds surface. But
they have, above all, cinched the claim
of the United States. through actua
colonization, to ownership of these
islands.
The administration of these islands
has not yet been determined, but il
is assumed that they will fall to the
Territory of Hawaii. Centering II
Honolulu that government has Ions
adapted itself to meeting whatever
exigencies arise in the mid-Paclflc
There is Midway. for example, 1900
miles from Honolulu, which. before
it became a stopping place for air
planes on the way to China, was fol
80 years a cable station with a popu-
lation of % people. 1t is under the
county and city government OF Homo
lulu. A thousand miles in the other
direction is Palmyra, smothered ir
coconut palms and sometimes in
habited that the fruit of these trees
may be harvested. 1t. too, Is governed
by the City of Honolulu.
It would be but slight enlargement
on precedent to extend Honolulu's city
limits to Jarvis, Baker and Howland
If this were done they would have. a
status that is quite different from that
of Guam or Samoa, which are mere
possessions. They would be part OF a
territory which eventually will become
state. They would be as much q
part of the United States as is Cata-
lima or the Florida Keys.
fare of the people of the world. Then
he added, with characteristic frank
ness and force: 1.-The disturbed and
menacing conditions elsewhere con-