FOREWORD

To the Members of the House of Representatives Interior and Insular Affairs Committee:

Pursuant to the authorization of the full committee in the 83d Congress, a special subcommittee made a trip to American Samoa during November 1954, via Honolulu and Canton Island, to obtain firsthand information on the islanders and the administration of the government for the people of American Samoa.

Congressman Wayne N. Aspinall, of Colorado; Mr. Anthony T. Lausi, then Deputy Director and presently Director, Office of Territories, Department of the Interior; and Mr. J. L. Taylor, committee Territories consultant, comprised this subcommittee, and arrived in Honolulu on November 7, 1954, preparatory to departing for American Samoa.

Before proceeding to Tutuila, the subcommittee members spent 3 days in Honolulu conferring with Mrs. Elizabeth P. Farrington, Delegate from Hawaii; Gov. Samuel Wilder King and other Territory of Hawaii officials; representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; the directors of the Barstow Foundation, which has educational interests in American Samoa; and numerous individuals representing Samoan communities in Hawaii.

From Barbers Point, Oahu, the subcommittee members, accompanied by 17 members of the United States Marine Corps, who were going to their homes on short furloughs, several members of the staff of the Governor of American Samoa, and 2 United States Post Office officials, departed for American Samoa via Canton Island. Following 4 days in American Samoa, the congressional party continued to Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, from whence they began their visit to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

I respectfully submit this report to the full membership of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs for consideration when future legislation for American Samoa is drafted.

Sincerely yours,

WAYNE N. ASPINALL, M. C.

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AMERICAN SAMOA

I. REPORT ON CANTON ISLAND

En route to American Samoa several hours were spent on Canton Island with various officials including Mr. William J. Evans, United States Resident Administrator, Mr. Douglas Freegard, British Resident Administrator, Mr. Richard E. Slater, branch manager, Pan American World Airways, and Mr. Myron Kerner, meteorologist, United States Weather Bureau.

Canton Island is a coral atoll located approximately 1,600 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu. (See map, p. 406.) Canton has a population of approximately 315. Its importance is due to its isolated position in the Pacific, to the fact that its lagoon can be used by seaplanes, and that its coral-surfaced runway makes it a desirable way station for Pacific flights. The ownership of Canton Island is obscure. United States claims stem from a reported discovery in 1828 by American settlers and Canton was included in the Guano Island Bond No. 9 of February 8, 1860. British Guano Mining Co. worked the islands during the latter part of the 19th century. The President of the United States on March 3, 1938, issued Executive Order No. 7828 placing both Canton and Enderbury, and an uninhabited neighboring island, under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior.

Also the question of title to Canton is not settled between the United States and the United Kingdom, two executive agreements (of 1938 and 1939) having provided for the joint use and control of the islands. Exchange of notes on April 1, 1939 also provided that an airport could be constructed and operated on Canton by an American company or companies which, in return for an agreed fee, must provide facilities. for British aircraft and aviation companies equal to those enjoyed by American aircraft and companies. In 1940 Pan-American Airways established a station on Canton and its station manager was designated as the Department of the Interior's representative. Shortly after the Japanese surrender in 1945, the Civil Aeronautics Administration established a headquarters on the island and its senior employee was designated as the "United States Resident Administrator, Canton and Enderbury Islands." The CAA station manager also serves the Justice Department as United States special deputy marshal, the Treasury Department as disbursing agent and the Coast and Geodetic Survey as tide observer.

Under British organization Canton and Enderbury are regarded as part of the Phoenix Islands District, which is a part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. The United Kingdom applies to those islands laws enacted in accordance with a Pacific Order in Council of 1893. Canton has no indigenous population. Nearly all of its 315 persons are associated with the various governmental and economic activities on the island. About half the total are American citizens. Three

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transpacific airlines (Pan-American Airways, British Commonwealth Pacific Lines, and Canadian Pacific Airlines) use Canton's facilities. Approximately 10 scheduled flights stop there each week. The CAA maintains the land facilities and air navigation aids, operates the aeronautical communications station, and furnishes power, water, and sanitary facilities which are available to the governmental agencies and aeronautical interests. A private oil company, Mid-Pac Standard Oil Co., maintains fuel facilities. Meteorological services are provided by the United States Weather Bureau. United States and British post offices are located in the Pan-American Terminal Building. The Pan-American Airways Hotel near the seaplane landing and the British Resident Administrator's headquarters about 6 miles from the terminal closed their facilities as of November 15, 1954. These buildings and facilities of postwar construction and installation have been declared surplus by Pan-American Airways and cannot be used by CAA. An American fisherman headquartering and operating in the vicinity has expressed interest in purchasing some of the buildings and converting them and their facilities into a fish processing plant. He has not, as of this date, followed up with his exploratory plans. This company and a British-owned project are both carrying out fishing operations for red snapper, mullet, barracuda, and grouper which are readily salable in Hawaii in chilled, frozen, or canned form. (See appendix 1 for information on Pan American Airways Hotel.)

The committee concurs in the plan to sell the hotel buildings and equipment to the fishing company, providing some reasonable price may be realized and if it can be definitely shown that they cannot be used for governmental purposes on Canton or Enderbury. It is questionable whether it would be economical to raze the existing structures and transport them to American Samoa.

Problems involving local administration were discussed with the United States Resident Administrator. There appears to be a fine cooperative spirit existing between the American and non-Americans of Canton. Both the American Administrator and the British Resident Administrator are seasoned veterans of the Pacific and their respective populations are essentially transient. This impermanency would make for difficulty in establishing any sort of local government. The difficulty would be magnified if any attempt were made to provide for a dual system of laws, one to apply to American citizens and one for British subjects and citizens. The committee thinks a practical solution to the problem of joint administration has been reached.

II. BASIC INFORMATION ON AMERICAN SAMOA

Following 3 days of preliminary briefing in Honolulu, the Special Subcommittee on Interior and Insular Affairs proceeded to American Samoa and on November 11, 1954, arrived at Tafuna Airport on Tutuila Island, 2,270 nautical miles southwest of Hawaii and 670 nautical miles south of Canton Island. (See map, p. 46.)

American Samoa includes seven islands: Tutuila, the largest; Aunu'u; Tau; Olosega; Ofu; Rose Atoll; and Swains Island. About 200 miles east of Tutuila lies Rose, an uninhabited coral atoll. Swains Island lies 210 miles north of Tutuila, has a population of about 100 persons of Samoan and Tokeluan extraction. Tutuila and the adjacent island, Aunu'u, are the center of all governmental activities. The Manu'a group, Tau, Olosega, and Ofu, some 80 miles to the east, is