Evening star., 1949-02-21
|Ex.Jap Pacific Islands
Gaining Home Rule,
u. 5. Reports 10 u. n.
By The 'Assoeiated Press

United States reports the idea of
self-government is taking hold
satisfactorily In the former Jap
anese inundated islands Of the
Pacific where American atomic
bomb experiments have been con-
Quoted.
The American delegation re-
leased last night its report to
United Nations Secretary General
Trygve Lie on the first year of
American administration of the
islands, now known as the Trust
Tersitory Of the Pacific Islands.
The territory consists Of the
Marshall. the Caroline and the
Marianas Islands extending 2,765
statute miles across the Western
Pacific. The United States has
conducted experiments in atomic
energy on two atolls, Bikini and
Eniwetok.
The trusteeship agreement be-
tween the United States and the
U. NJ, approved April z. 1947, by
the Security Council. classed the
islands as Q strategic area. Eni-
wetok has been declared . closed
area.
Japan Held Area.
This 165-page report apparently
Is the most comprehensive account
Of the vast area to be published In
modern times. The japanese kept
it shut off from the world from
shortly after World War I until
American forces captured 1t.
Comdr. Lee N. Duke, who helped
prepare the report, said the natives
on the islands are quite content.
He told q news conference here
there is no infiltration into the is
lands and no outside influences are
entering.
He said the administrators keep
close check on people entering the
islands. The report says immi-
grafton is not permitted.
Comdr. Duke said the Navy pol
icy of promoting self government
among the $4,000 natives on the
islands Is beginning to pay divi-
dendS.
Frances B. Sayre, American del
egate on the Trusteeship Council.
told reporters that the u. N. Char
ter provides that q basic objective
Of the U. N. trusteeship system
shall be development toward self
government or independence.
Agreeable to Inspection.
He said because Of the economic
situation Of the islands and actual
conditions, it would be q long
time. If ever. before the islands
would acquire independence, but
that they will get self-government.
BENJAMIN Gerig. American dep
uty on the Trusteeship Council,
said that the U. N. right to send
an inspecting party to the islands
1 Is under consideration. He said
the United States is agreeable,
although the islands are q trust
territory. to an inspecting party
\ In every section except the closed
areas Eniwetok).
The report says the designation
Of the atolls Of Kikini and Eniwe-
tok IS sites for atomic energy ex-
tperiments required resettlement Of
800 islanders on nearby atolls in
the Marshall group. 1t adds that
the Bikini natives were moved to
Rongerik atoll and lived there
until the spring of 1s48. When
Rongerik was found not suitable.
th3y fwere naoved to KwaiAiein
atom, The Bikir1i people voted I'd
make their permanent home On
! XIII. in the Southern Marshalla
atoi, and moved there in Novem-
ber. 1948.
The 1877 people of Eniwetok have
been transferred to Ujelang atoll.
where IS family houses. two
corpra warehouses. a cistern, q
council house, q trade store. a
school and a church are being
constructed by the administration
for their use.
Obstruction Great.
The report says the islands were
left In chaotic condition by the
japanese occupation and by the
war. But in the year covered In
the report the natives made con-
siderable progress because Of their
own work and because Of an ad-
pantageous market for corpra and
trochus shells. Trochus shells
are used in making buttons.
The report also says:
/. Women received equal pay
for equal work with men. -
2. There are no foreign invest
ments in the trust territory.
8. Major juvenile delinquency
problems do not exist; IN the few
cases noted, punishment by par
ents In accordance with local Gus