New Constitution, New

Flag For US Samoa

American Samoa now has a Constitution. It will be the basic law of the Territory of Samoa and all laws will flow from it. Sixty-eight delegates approved it after a five-day convention and the US Secretary of the Interior, Mr. Fred Seaton, was present at its promulgation at Samoa's 60th anniversary of the raising of the American flag. American Samoa on the same day got its own flag, which was hoisted for the first time by Mr. Seaton and Governor Peter Coleman.

THE red, wnite and blue flag shows an American eagle in flight. The eagle clutches a Samoan fue (or fly whisk) in one claw and an uatogi or Samoan war club, in the other. The fue repre sents wisdom through traditional Samoan counsel, and the war club is the power of Samoa, channelled into peace and order under the guid ance of the US.

Before the Constitution session began there where rumours that parties who were in disagreement planned to try to delay decision on the Constitution by various methods, including the ousting of the Gov ernor as chairman.

But the first step failed as dele gates voted 47 to 20 for Governor Coleman as chairman (one vote was not acceptable) and the other steps came to nothing. On Flag Day, all 68 delegates, plus Mr. Seaton and the Governor, signed the new Con stitution.

[?]eaton, US Secretary for the Interior, at the Flag Day ceremony [?]go. Behind him is Governor Peter Coleman and Mrs. Coleman.

Photo: Fritz Reed.