Evening star., 1946-11-10
War Aftermath
UpsetsEconomy
Of Guamanians
Navy Food and Wages
Replace Farm Pursuits
of the Natives
By Doug LoveIace

| GUAM-This fortress island of $4,000
native population is caught in the throes
of an economic upheaval perhaps un-
| matched anywhere in the world.
| The war, and American plans to make
| Guam a fulcrum of its far-Pacific de-
| fense, have almost wiped out agricultural
| economy.
The change, not yet completed, has
brought extreme hardship to Guannan-
ians despite efforts of the Navy, which
governs the island For some islanders,
hardships are being alleviated by Amer
,ican payments for losses they suffered
during the conflict.
Guam formerly produced about rs
per cent Of its needs. 1t imported some
food, principally rice from Japan, and
purchased from $4,000 to $4,000 an
nually in United States mail order goods.
1t exported about 5000 tons annually
Of copra.
War and Japanese occupation
changed all that. Pre-invasion lombard
ment and inland fighting destroyed
| eight or nine villages, including the
capital city of Agana. 1t shattered at
| least one-third of the coconut trees.
Many remaining trees were lost when
the armed forces built huge airfields
| and installations Most of these bases,
/ apparently will remain, meaning loss
! to Guam Of $4,000 acres of farmland.
| Guam now produces less than per
cent Of its food.
Fed by the Navy.
For nearly two years after the Amer
| leans won back the island Guamanians
were housed In compounds, and fed by
| the Navy. Those who had lost their
homes were moved into 1850 Seabee-
built "shanty' homes. When the Navy
| substituted civil government" last
June l it stopped providing free food
and clothing.
Gradually the change will be to free
trade. The Navy proposes to keep that
economy in Guamanian hands, and con-
trolls business and service occupations
by license.
A program to repopulate Guam with
| livestock also is in progress. The JAP
anese occupation almost depleted the
| island of its abundant chickens, pigs,
COWS and water buffalo.
Before the war about 1900 Guaman-
ians worked for wages. Now about 5000
are so employed, 5000 directly by the
| Navy
Guamanians strongly resent the
| Navy-enforced double standard of
fa,. nh ov,I
| for natives" The prewar wage scale
balanced well with the Oriental econ
omy. Rice from Japan cost cents
! pound. Now rice is II cents pound.
Laborers Make 2S Cents.
Minimum pay for common labor Is
28 cents an hour, ranging up to As
or SIS for skilled workers. A Guamanian
typist makes $500 to $720 year,
police sergeant draws $40, a Guamanian
school teacher $3.50 to $500, while
white teachers receive $3,306. The
highest paid Guamanian is the senior
Judge of the island court, at $2,400
annually.
A common laborer averages $40 weekly,
and his wife may make SIS. But food
costs may run $12 to SIT weekly.
The Navy has set threefold task of
| paying for land seized and providing
for purchase of more land, paying
Guamanians for war loss of businesses,
homes, household goods and crops, and
indemnities for injuries and loss of life.
The Navy estimates the cost at $23,-
100000 Congress has provided $6,000,-
0O0 The Navy figures that personal
claims will total about $12,500.0o0, of
|. which half million will cover injuries
and deaths. Congress has provided for
payment.
Determination of land ownership is
stumbling block both in plans for re-
building Agana, and for military areas.
The Navy proposes to keep about $1,000
acres. It already has $4,000.
1t. Comdr. Joseph l.. Wolf OF Tampa,
Fla, estimated that Is to IS claims are
paid weekly the totaling between s25,0O0
and $4,000.
distributed by the Associated Press.)