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Show r 1 PdhiM qpif (Bqjbto 1 I'irf ' -fs ."-'4 ' i r V ! 5..V.- i -:- , l 'yr: : v ;. :' i ttF9T ' ' " Mr ' "'"" ' " " OUT In the broad Pacific, five thousand miles from San Francisco and fifteen hundred miles from Manila, there is an island that temporarily deserted by its foster parent, the United States, is an easy prey for the wandering cruiser of any nation that may want to kidnap a Pacific naval base. The American flag still floats over the island of Guam, but the greater part of the governing and protective force recently sailed away to Manila for its annual vacation trip. Embarked Em-barked on the station ship Supply, which constitutes the entire navy of the island, the governor, most of the marines and American officials left Agana. For the next few weeks, while the Supply is being overhauled at Manila and the island officials are recuperating recuper-ating at Philippine health resorts, Guam will be permitted to work out its own salvation, protected from invasion in-vasion only by a handful of marines and the majesty and authority of the Stars and Stripes. But should any nation or any filibustering expedition proceed upon the Idea that the United States is trying to "lose" its little possession, It would find that it had acted upon an entirely wrong theory. This country is very busy Just now trying to work out certain problems in Guam which may ultimately make that island a valuable part of the national na-tional domain. Wei the little speck of land to be turned over to some other nation now it would be with a peck of troubles accompanying It that would cast a lasting suspicion over the efficiency of American civilization. civiliza-tion. For Guam not only remains the most unique of the insular acquisitions acquisi-tions of Uncle Sam, but it has been found that in proportion to Its size and importance It can furnish more troubles and perplexing problems than all the other Island possessions that the Spanish war forced upon us. A concrete example of the speed with which the cost of living, the nibh of farmers to the cities and the chase of the "almighty dollar" In- crease as Americans draw near, there is no equal to this little "Gem of the Mariannas," lying Just off the track of American-Japanese ocean travel. When all of these evidences of civilization civili-zation strike a land only thirty miles long and six miles wide, and which has never been self-supporting, they produce a situation guaranteed to give sleepless nights to those Intrusted with its solution. The trouble with Guam is not only that it has never been a self-supporting country, but that American civilization, civili-zation, so called, has Introduced some ideas of living that are complicating the situation more and more every day. The cost of ordinary supplies has Increased with a jump; the "simple "sim-ple Arcadian tastes" of the natives, described by a former governor, have been nursed into real American desires de-sires and ambitions; and most serious seri-ous of all, there has been a rush of farmers to the city, which haB completely com-pletely depopulated the ranches. They Quit the Farm. And the lure of it all Is the government gov-ernment job. When the United States took hold of the island, about seven thousand of the eleven thousand natives na-tives lived in the town of Agana; but every family had Its ranch and made Its real living out of the soil. When the Guamite first heard of "a day's work on a government Job" he didn't appreciate Its significance. He had no use for money and continued to squeeze his living out of the Island soil, the only method he knew of obtaining ob-taining It. With naval repair shops, a water works system, bridges and roads under un-der process of construction American money began to circulate freely, and the Guam native suddenly awoke to the full appreciation of the advantages advan-tages of his new citizenship. All of the 11,000 islanders who were not then living in Agana began to look longingly Aganawards; and hundreds of them packed their belongings In grass fiber copra bags and started for the site of the government Job. This state of affairs Is the growth of the last two or three years mainly. In a recent report Capt. E. J. Dorn, naval governor of the island, says: "The ranches are being more and more neglected by reason of the population popu-lation becoming government laborers. The extensive improvements going on under federal direction have called away from their farms very many who find the ready money paid for days' labor much more attractive than the uncertain reward ranches offer. Nearly ten years ago, discussing the Chamorra native's disinclination for work. Civil Engineer Leonard Cox of the navy, who designed the water works system now being Installed In Agana, said In an official report: "If the native understood the art of getting his enjoyment out of money, and if he possessed more civilized vices and could cultivate a few ex- pensive tastes, there would be no difficulty dif-ficulty in obtaining labor, though it is doubtful if he would be benefited by the change." Recent letters and reports from Governor Dorn and from others familiar fa-miliar with conditions there, indicate the grave apprehension that la felt over the situation and the need that exists for heroic measures. Last year there was a bad rice famine, because the natives had neglected their land. Supplies were secured from Japan to relieve the shortage and Governor Dorn then tried to force the people back to their ranches, but his efforts have been only partly successful. When the Jobs Wear Out. As soon as the government work now under way Is completed, which will be In a comparatively short time, there Is going to be a panic in the peaceful land of Guam that will live in memory as long as any Wall street panic ever engineered in this country. There will then be a whole host of Guam laborers without employment. With characteristic energy, the United States has set about relieving the result of American occupation of the island. On the station ship Supply Sup-ply when it sailed for Manila was J. B. Thompson, a young American sent over by the agricultural department two years ago to build up an agricultural agricul-tural experiment station in the midst of Guam's Jungles and deserted ranches. Agriculture in Guam has been of a most primitive character. Cocoanuts, from the meat of which the dried copra Is produced, formed the only article of produce insuring a fair return re-turn on the labor expended; so every one planted cocoanuts and depended upon Japanese traders and the Spanish Span-ish authorities to see that they did not want for other food. Bananas, oranges and pineapples grow half wild, with no care or cultivation; and the bread-fruit tree furnishes an easy living for those who will not work at all. Kindergarten methods are necessary neces-sary to start the work. With his crops of corn, rice and forage plants under way, Mr. Thompson sent to San Francisco for a small American hand cultivator. When it arrived the natives viewed It with delight and took turns In practising with it The Guam method of cultivation had been to take every member of the family, from grandfather to the baby, into the fields when hoeing was to be done, and set them all at work with primitive primi-tive hoes. Satisfied that the new toy would lighten their work as well as please their senses. Mr. Thompson's experiment experi-ment has been followed by the purchase pur-chase of a considerable number of the Implements In San FranciBco for use by the native farmers. It is the hope of the agricultural department later to Introduce reliable stock Into Guam. The native will have to be educated gradually away from his caraboa, or native ox. "Compared with the caraboa, the slowest American ox that ever moved is an express train," says Dr. Walter H. Evans of Washington, who planned the Guam experiment Btation. Guam came Into Uncle Sam's family fam-ily Immediately after the Spanish war. It has a good harbor and was looked upon as an Important way station between be-tween Honolulu and Manila, for the establishment of a naval base. At the last census there were just 224 white people, men, women and children, chil-dren, In the population of 11,760 on the Island. |