Evening star., 1948-09-10
Marshall Isle Chiefs
Planning Expedition
To Explore u. 5.

MAJURO ATOLL, Southern Mar
Ehalls, Sept. 10 (CDN.-Under strict
secrecy the dark-skinned natives of
the Marshall Islands are preparing
an expedition to explore the United
States.
1t will be an expedition of chiefs.
Their purpose will be the same as
the more elaborate teams of Con-
gressmen who pass through here in
specting the trust territories. Like
the Americans, they will live of the
country, not carrying their own
food. But unlike them the Marshall
lese will pay part of their own way.
Here are some OF the questions
that the explorers will be required
TO answer during their tour of
America, a virgin area Of Marshall
lese exploration:
1. How big an island is the United
States? :
q The Americans claim that they
do not live on an atoll. If this as
sertion is true, is 1t a high island,
with mountains, or a low island.
8. What does a train look like,
and does 1t really resemble the pic
lures In the geography books?
4. What does an elevator look
Ike? ---. =
5. The Americans claim they have
rivers and mountains Just as big as
the Japanese II this is true, what
is the size of an American noun
tain and how wide is an American
river2
6. How can the Americans exist
without the most fundamental de-
sign for human living: The lagoon
surrounding atoll with fish inside
and cocoanut trees outside?
The Marshallese already have
made, In this century, several long
and careful explorations of Japan.
They have seen the tall buildings
OF Tokyo and the busy streets of
Osaka, the rivers running from
Fujiyama and the harbor of Naga-
saki. In those days of the Japan
ese mandate, from 1920 to 1914, the
Japanese often brought the Mar
shallese chiefs, as honored guests,
to Japan.
1t was easy, then, for the Mar
shallese explorers to check up on the
Japanese textbooks which said that
Japan was the most vigorous of the
worlds powers.
Now the new American textbooks
have arrived in the atolls, and the
schools have opened. But only
few chiefs are left who remember
from Japan what a river is, and a
mountain, and the size Of the
Japanese Islands. And all this in
formation is of no use to estimating
the truth in the American textbooks.
For four years, now, the chiefs
have been expecting that the Navy,
which. administers the trust terri
tories, would offer them a chance to
explore America. The American
Congressman, with their ready
handshakes, pass through, and so
do the admirals. But no one says
anything about initiating the Japa-
nese precedent.
Chief Lammoj Of the Southern
Marshalls has decided to take over
the raising of the expedition. He.
Is nohleman, owning the f1ve
atoIs Of Aur, Wolfe, Maloelap, lick
and Utrik.
Lammoj is making quiet tour Of
other atolls with view to finding
out whether they are prepared to
match the public subscription ir
his own atolls to send the expedt-
tion. Copra being high, the atolls
can afford to chip in for the party
of chiefs.
1--WE not only hope to study Amer
lea, but to afford the American
an opportunity to learn more about
U.s." says Majuro spokesman for
Lammoj.
TIE Navy has not yet been taken
into confidence about the expedi-
tion, because the ultra a-courteous
Marshallese wish to avoid any i'm
plication that the japanese bid for
their favor was higher than the