Unlikely

Union Of Samoa

Eastern Islanders Prefer American Rule

Prom Our Own Correspondent APIA, July 1.

IHAD the opportunity, when the chiefs from Eastern Samoa were visiting Western Samoa for the initiation of the new form of government here, of dis cussing with the visitors the suggestion that they should break loose from the American administration and join up with the Western Samoans, thus to make a united and stronger Samoa.

I found that these American Samoans are unanimously against anything of the sort. In spirit and in sentiment they are one with Western Samoa; but the econ omic factor is their chief consideration.

They point out that the Americans always have been generous in providing money for schools, public works and all kinds of services in Eastern Samoa, and they had subsidised the Matson Line, to make a regular call at Pago Pago. This American money has kept them prosper ous. The Eastern islands are rocky and, unlike the Western islands, are unsuit able for the production of anything more than a limited amount of copra.

Furthermore, these chiefs have influ ential positions in their local administra tion, which they probably would lose if they joined up in a united Samoa, under the domination of Apia.

They are friendly and sympathetic— but they will remain under the American flag.