Million Dollar Publicity For Pastor Salau

Pastor Salau in the United States ( Contributed)

PASTOR SALAU, a Solomon Islander, who is at present touring the United States with Pastor A. G. Stewart of the SDA Mission, is receiving much

publicity.

Among the churches where Salau spoke in New York was one in Harlem, where there was a congregation of 1,400 Negros; and another of 800 Spanish speaking people, who mostly had come originally from Puerto Rico and Cuba.

Salau told them that while travelling in England and Europe he had felt lonely, not seeing many coloured people. Since coming to the United States, however, he said he had felt quite at home.

A large department store ran an ad vertisement in Pidgin English in a New York newspaper during the week Salau was in that city. At one of the libraries in the nation’s capital, it was reported that Salau’s presence in the country had developed a new and public interest in the Solomon Islands. It,was suggested that Pidgin might sweep the land, es

pecially among the younger set, so uni versally had Salau’s story been published.

The Associated Press in New York estimated the free publicity gained in the extensive newspaper, magazine, radio, television and newsreel coverage at three to five million dollars.

Salau was a guest at Mary Margaret Mcßride s 15th Anniversary Radio Pro gramme, at Yankee Stadium, where he spoke to an audience of over 43,000. His last appointment in New York was on the night of June 1, in a special broad cast and television programme known as ‘We, the People,” which is nation-wide.

Salau appeared on the platform with Lieut. Gordon Manuel, the airman whom the natives rescued and cared for in New Guinea, and whose adventures were recorded by Quentin Reynolds in the book “Seventy Thousand to One.”

Through Salau this grateful pilot thanked those who had saved his life.

Flying across to Los Angeles from Kansas City, Pastor Stewart and Salau took part in a church gathering of 12,000 people in the Hollywood Bowl, a vast amphitheatre surrounded by wooded hills.

While in Washington, ranking officers of the armed services who had served in the South Pacific had appointments with Salau. Everywhere he went servicemen wanted to do something for him.

Commenting on the welcome and publicity this Solomon Islands pastor has received, Pastor Stewart says: “It is an indication of the interest that America is showing in the South Sea Islanders who did such heroic service in saving some of their unfortunate men during the war.”

Pastor Stewart and Salau will be con stantly travelling and speaking at church conferences until August, when they ex pect to sail for Australia.