Doldrums

E. Samoa In

Four Governors in Two Years

AFTER little more than a month in his new position, Mr.

Lawrence M. Judd, who suc ceeded Mr, Ewing as Governor of American Samoa, departed from Pago Pago for Honolulu, giving ill health as his reason. He soon afterwards tendered his resignation, effective on July 31. He was the fourth Governor in two years.

The administrative trouble, of course, is tied in very closely with the recent change in the status of the Territory. For over 50 years— ever since Eastern and Western Samoa were separated as a result of the Treaty made between Britain, United States and Germany for the settlement of their Samoan difficulties—the economy of Eastern Samoa has been based upon the administration of Pago Pago as a Naval Station. The maintenance of a large naval establishment there, plus the production of a limited quantity of copra, kept Eastern Samoa well-fed and serene.

After World War II it was de cided to turn Eastern Samoa over to civil administration, and with draw most of the naval establish ment; and this has been done dur

ing the past three years. The last of the Navy personnel left at the end of 1951.

Thereafter, economic conditions became more and more depressed.

There literally was nothing to keep the place going. Many small tradesmen went out of business.

Under Government encouragement, the Samoans sought land to till; but

there is a shortage of good tillable land in this part of the archipelago, The Government, still optimistic. paid 40,000 dollars for the fish cannery established in Pago Pago Mr - Harold Gatty’s company when it was believed that tuna could be caught in these waters.

But there is nothing to can—and nothing in sight.

There is only a limited production of copra, and none of cocoa. The Samoans can make some beautiful artifacts; but, except for an occasional warship and the travel lers on the Tofua, there is no one to sell these things to.

For this East Samoa administra tion, the US Government now allots about one million dollars per annum.

Most of this goes to the employees of the Administration; but a cer tain proportion of it returns to USA in the shape of savings.

It is a dismal economic outlook.

Maybe Governor Judd did feel ill.

But if he decided to leave, after on 6 good look at what Governorship entails, no one could blame him.

Some observers have suggested that, if America does not wish to retain Eastern Samoa for strategic reasons, she should hand it over to the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations, so that it might be put back into administrative double harness with Western Samoa.

Western Samoa, administered by New Zealand as a Trust Territory, is now one of the healthiest and most prosperous countries in the South Pacific. Its economy is based on the production of cocoa and copra, for European and American markets, and bananas, for New Zealand. It could be enlarged to cover Eastern Samoa.