Show pago pago ago makes ideal naval nava base CL 0 k 41 port in heart of extinct volcano crater pago pago visited hy by W tied states naval vessels on their acturo from australia and new zealand la Is tile the capital of american samoa which Is the only bit of amerlean american soil eoll that lies south of the equator according to the bulletin from the washington headquarters of the national geographic society pogo pago pago practically fell into the lop lap of a none too willing america while various powers were seeking island territory in the pacific continues the bulletin but it if the entire south seas had been combed with all the other nations landing deferentially by a better location tor for ft n naval base hardly could have been chosen most south sea harbors are little wore more than crescent bays protected by coral reefs their safety largely dependent on the direction of the wind at pago pago ships sail into the heart of a huge extinct volcano crater 1 only a narrow entrance open to the sell sea furthermore there Is a sharp turn inside tile the whole harbor being shaped much like the ankle and foot of a ng beautiful as aa well as safe the united states naval station Is situated on the justel iu Ju step its buck back toward tile the sea but with willi high mountains intervening pago atigo town lies nt at the ifie toe most of the anchorage I 1 la 14 entirely out of sight of the sea and the ships lie ile in deep placid water even when oien destructive gales are blowing outside flying giving pago pago the premier place among youth south sea havens does not do it justice many famous harbors tire are n more lore commodious but it 1 Is s hardly too enuch to say ay that pago pago Is at owe one one of the safest and most beautiful harbors in tho the world A narrow strip of level land and rims the harbor immediately beyond this strip the sides rise up till steeply to heights the loping eloping walls covered with varying shades of tropical vegetation in addition to tile lie naval station and pogo pago pago town three or four villages nestle close to the waters edge itro around unil the harbor their thatched hut ched tints luts half hidden by coconut palms the harbor of pago pago iago almost cuts tile island of tutuila in two tills this Is the largest 1 lile ie of american 17 miles long and about alve wide the other american islands lie about sixty miles to the past east only one tiiu about five miles in diameter Is of importance though two smaller isek Is are inhabited altogether ter the of american samoa Is about some bonie residing on tutuila american samoa tins has been little by the civilization of the mother country or that of other IvIll whites tes few whites reside inthe inthe islands besides the small group of missionaries sion aries and the off leers men inen and nurses at the naval loii only one plantation Is owned by a white man and only three or four whites have leaseholds lease holds practically the entire surface of tile the islands Is owned in n small tracts tract by individual natives the united suites even bought from I 1 individual landlords landlord tile 40 acres needed for its naval establishment in the past the file lava lava a sort of short skirt or kilt wits was the only garment worn by both men and women now slight concessions are made in ili pago or in ili the presence ol of whites the men add a sort of undershirt anil and the women a sort eort of jacket or smock among themselves however and in the outlying districts the natives still let the lava lava tacked about the waist serve in place of the wt matts mans and white womans comans more complex costume natives native largely self governing in governmental matters too the united states has practiced laissez dalre to an extent highly appreciated by the natives the system employed so go successfully by the dutch in the east indies has been adopted an american naval officer stationed at the pago pago depot Is appointed governor but all officials under him actually exercising supervision over the natives are native hereditary chiefs tile islands are divided into three districts ancient native divisions with a native governor for each under the governors are chiefs of counties also indent ancient districts and under the county chiefs are arc the village chiefs the village chiefs have councils composed of the heads of families the united states practices a anin measure of paternalism over its south sen sea island words wards copra the dried mont of coconuts Is practically the only article of export the government handles tills crop for tile the natives so assuring them a fair price free medical attention Is furnished through naval medical off leers dentists nurses mines and hospital corps wen men the health of the samoans Is excellent aleut leut and their numbers are increasing D during ur I 1 ng the 21 years of american control arol the population has grown brown 41 per cent |