Mau Money

Collections for Mr. O. F.

Nelson’s Appeal

Letter to the Editor.

IN the copy of your magazine for Sep tember, which has just reached me, I note that the Western Samoan Mau is still practising self-denial in order to collect money to send to “Taisi,” that he may appeal to the Privy Council in respect of his deportation sentence.

This is very unfortunate indeed. With out re-opening the discussion of the merits of the Nelson judgment, there is not a chance in a hundred of the Privy Council reversing it, even if it is taken to that body.

Any such action by the British tribunal of last resort, as the Samoans have been deluded into hoping for, would have re percussions of a very serious sort in many directions. It would, in effect, constitute a breach of the whole Mandates system and weaken the position of every Mandate holder. I am the last person to maintain that the system has been a success or should be continued, but it is certain that no High Court would take the responsi bility of, action that would amount to a setting aside of the authority of the Man datory.

It distresses me to see that the Samoans for whom I have the same high regard and affection that I have for all the Poly nesian peoples, are still being misguided in this fashion. By no possible chance can they achieve anything, and by far their best move now is to abandon the whole Mau movement and “get together” with the New Zealand Administration. The latter is ready to meet them half way and more, and the future happiness and well being of everyone in Western Samoa would be greatly enhanced by an end once and for all to this long-sustained bickering.

Whatever may have happened in the past, there is no longer anything in the attitude of the Mandatory Administration which the Samoans are justified in oppos ing by a continuance of their “passive re sistance” policy. Such a continuance means only an indefinite prolongation of ill-feeling and discontent, and in days like these men everywhere, of whatever race,, colour or creed, should make every effort to live in harmony and should not shrink from mutual concessions to that end.

I urge the Samoans to remind them selves of this and to remember, too, that as a Christian people the obligation lies upon them to guide their acts and thoughts alike in accord with Christian precepts. No doubt they have a great deal to forgive. But so, for the matter of that, have all their race, a race which, consider ing its deserts, has suffered more from injustice, exploitation and selfishness at the hands of the lordly white man than has any other in history. Nevertheless, there is absolutely nothing to be gained by dwelling upon these things now or by attempting to execute their own methods of rectifying them. Most deplorable of all is the fact that in times like these the Samoans are being deluded into yielding what little money they have to a per fectly hopeless cause.

I am, etc.,

Marc T. Greene.

New York, November 2, 1934.