The Wyandotte herald. (Wyandotte, Mich.) 1879-1943, 1939-08-11
Guam Ignores
Naval Base Row
Controversy Means Nothing
To the Peace-Lovins
Chamorros.

UMATAC, GUAM.-The peace
loving Chamorros of Guam are un-
concerned over the controversy in
Washington which the navy touched
OF when il sought to make this pic
turesque little island Americas
most far-fung air base.
Largest, most populous and south
ernmost Of the Marianas islands,
Guam is the one isle in the group
belonging to the United States. The
others are under Japanese mandate
from the League of Nations.
Umatac, tiny Chamorro village,
was the scene of a celebration re-
Gently when navy men and natives
joined IN celebrating the 418th ami
versary of Ferdinand Magellan's
discovery of the Marianas islands.
Although the first actual shot fired
by the United States in the World
war was in Guam, there is little dis
cussion or speculation now over the
navy's plan-recently defeated in
congress-to convert Apra harbor
into a naval air base. The Chamor-
ros by nature are peaceful despite
the fact that they repeatedly have
been involved in wars ever since
Magellan landed in the tiny bay Of
Umatac IN 1921 in search Of fresh
water and provisions for his vessels.
Islands Name Changed.
The famed discoverer first named
the Marianas Islands of the Lateen
Sails" in honor Of the fast-sailing
"proas" Of the aborigines. This
pleasant sounding appellation was
cancelled before Magellan departed,
however, because the natives appro-
priated the discoveries gig. He
called them the "Ladrone" or Rob
Der islands," This name stuck until
1868, when Padre Diego Luis De San
vitores, Spanish Jesuit, established
the first missionary settlement in
Guam to convert the Chamorros to
Christianity. He rechristened the
island group "Marianas islands" in
honor of Queen Maria Ana De Aus
tria of Spain.
Visitors on the island now can
view the ruins of the three Spanish
forts, situated at strategic points
overlooking the entrance to Una
taos small harbor which protected
the port from pirates in the Seven
teenth and Eighteenth centuries.
The forts also were used on several
occasions when the Chamorros re-
belled against Spanish rule.
Although the United States first
shot in the World war was fired on
Guam, the island was the last Span
ish colony to learn of the Spanish
American war in 1898. Lack of COM
munication prevented Guam from
knowing the war had started.
Spanish Fort Surprised.
So when the United States Cruiser
Charleston steamed into Apra har-
Dor and fired several rounds the
Spanish fort FASTENED to load a can
non and respond to the salute"
Before the Spaniards could do so,
however, they were surprised to find
themselves prisoners of a war they
had not yet heard of.
Paradoxically, the trans-Pacific
cable which touches at Guam made
it different story on April z, 1917.
Before the United States entered the
World war, the German warehip
Cormoran, took refuge in Apra har-
Dor to escape several Japanese
cruisers, and was informed. On the
day the United States declared war
against Germany, an American
naval officer started across the har-
Dor to demand surrender of the Ger
man warship. He saw a German
launch steaming away from the
warship and ordered it to halt. The
launch ignored the order and shot
was fired by Corp. Michael B.
Chockie, United States marines.