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Samoa at Geneva : misleading the League of Nations : a commentary on the proceedings of the Permanent Mandates Commission at its thirteenth session held at Geneva in June, 1928

Samoa's National Aspirations

Samoa's National Aspirations.

Samoa will never be a white man's country, like New Zealand has been converted to be. The white man's object in Samoa is only to trade and to govern. Wherein are the white traders in Samoa any more selfish than the white Government officials? There is nothing in the aspirations of the Samoans for a say in the government of their own country which can be repugnant to the motives of a mandatory which was really concientious and sympathetic.

But the system of "self-government" of the Samoans which Sir George Richardson proclaims to the world he tried to institute smacks of tyranny, which the Samoans will never tolerate. In effect, he says to them: "I know best what is for your good." "I will appoint over you chiefs whom I know will carry out my good ideas." "I will banish and degrade such chiefs as are not obedient to my good laws and the "resolutions" of my Faipules." "I will substitute your social system with something which is better." "I will put good ' ideas ' into the heads of my Faipules, so they can bring them forward in the Fonos as your views." "Do not worry about the finances of your country, as I can well take care of them." "I am a loving, sympathetic and able governor, and you may praise God that you have me to teach you how to govern yourselves." "The white trader is an evil-minded man, whose sole object is to exploit you." "Do not listen to him, but obey my white officials. They are good, like myself."

Unfortunately for Sir George Richardson, the Samoans have had other administrators and governors before him. They have had the three Consuls and a Chief Justice appointed by the three Powers. His tactics are easily detected by them, and taken at their proper value. They ask him to produce the goods, and he is found wanting. He presents himself page 22 before the League of Nations, and they hear him. They are impressed with his eloquence. Minor considerations, more especially where they concern a small, insignificant people, must give way to "higher politics." He wins in the argument, but the fight goes on. The position of his successor is made a most unenviable one by his manipulations.

It now rests with the New Zealand Government to find a settlement of the trouble, with or without the League of Nations. The General Elections in New Zealand will be held in November. The Prime Minister and his Government will be hard put to it to explain to the electors why, with the thorough whitewashing they have received at the hands of the League of Nations, they are unable to find a solution of the Samoan muddle. With the "big interests" in New Zealand behind them, they might even overcome this and the many other hurdles confronting them at the next elections. They have, however, to face the problem. The evasions and untruths they practised at Geneva will not satisfy the Samoan people, whose confidence they have forfeited for all time by their own perfidy and deception. This is not to say anything of their oppressiveness and military methods, which were the outcome of their maladministration.