American
Samoa
importance of American Samoa is the fact that T HEPago chief Pago Bay, in the island of Tituila, is the safest and best harbor in the South Seas. It is of great value as a naval base, and because of this, the United States as far back as 1872, secured the cession of the harbor by a native king. The American Samoan group comprises the islands of Tutuila, Rose, Tau, Olosega, Ofu, Aunuu and, since 1925, Swain’s Island. With the exception of Swain’s they were obtained in 1899 by annexation through a tripartite treaty between the United States, ,Great Britain and Germany. Congress did not legalize American ,control over Samoa until February 20, 1929. The other islands of the group, known as Western Samoa, were under German sovtereignty up to the close of the world war, and are now under the League of Nations as a mandate to New Zealand. The islands are about 2700 miles east of the northern tip of Australia and 2200 miles south of Hawaii. The majority of the 12,000 natives are pure Poiynesian, having their own Samoan language. Virtually all are Christians, divided among various Protestant denominations. Gorerntnent The islands were placed under the jurisdiction of the Navy Department by executive order on February 19, 1900. As early as 1902 the then Secretary of the Navy pointed out in his report: ‘Since the acquisition of these islands no action has been taken :by Congress to establish civil government within their limits or to provide revenues for its maintenance. Such action is necessary to the well-being of the islands, and is earnestly recommended.” Thirty-six
years later, their status is unchanged.
The naval officials are a law unto themselves in Samoa, headed by a governor appointed by the President. The governor appoints .a11 the high officials, including the chief justice of the High Court. ‘The chief justice appoints two associate justices. Of all officials ,only three are civilians-the chief justice, the superintendent of education, and the assistant cashier of the government bank. There
