SAMOA

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21120, 22 March 1934, Page 7

SAMOA

10 THE imi-'R 17 TFE l'«t?S. Sir—ln the Middle Ages there was an institution called the Inquisition. Those who instituted and conducted it believed that there was nothing better a man could do than save an immortal foul. To save this soul any amount of t'-rture ie. violence, was justifiable. But nowadays wn think otherwise. V/e no longer justify torturing a man s bodv to save his soul, even though we continue to believe that the salvation of hi* soul is the most important thing in the world for him. The good end must be attained by good means. It a man's soul can. be saved only by violent means, then his soul must be allowed to perish. The truth is. we go not know this for a fact. This particular dogma mav be opposed by anotnei dogma i which cannot be proved, cither) tTrat bv actions done to one another in a spirit of service, understanding, and love —actions from wh:cn all violence is excluded —we can ah save cr.e another's soul, and, furtner. ihat if the soheme of things does not allow this, it is better that all our sculs perish together than that we act in ar.v other wav towards one another.

Now the political idea 1 ; of a man are simply a reflection of his philosophy C'i life. In other words, his religion embodies itself in his politics. To rn> mind "Apia'' seems to argue like the inquisitionisis. He has a good end in view, the benefit of the Samoan people. But he has no objection, apparently, to trying to attain it by violence. He <j'oes not deny this fundamental act of violence, the occupation of Samoa by Mew Zealand. He merely quotes another act cf violence, the stealing tinder violence and trickery of New Zealand itseif from the native Maori. But surely it is better to be guilty of only one crime than of two. Ana maybe, if we had the will to do_ justice to the Samoans. thereby rectifying one wrong, we might be encouraged to go further and do what it is_ possible to rectify the wrong we did to tne Maori. "Moral rights must be limited in law."' says mv friend. All right: but it must be a law we have made and imposed on ourselves, not a law other people have made and imposed on us. "Apia'' is solicitous for the Samoan?. He wants them protected against tne "many admitted evils of vvesjtern ideas." '•unscrupulous traders.' "native superstitions." and "tribal wars. Mow I ask him. cannot an attempt De made to help them in all these things without recourse to violence on out part? Let them have a protectorate "under the League of Nations, like Tonga i they ask for such a protectorate). and let the white Resident, with all the science and goodwill ol the Western World behind him, advise and help them when asked. If that fails. I will suggest to "Apia" further things t;> try. Has "Apia" ever considered all the peoples in the world besides tne Ssmoan who need our help? Why are v 'e not helping them? Why pick on hie Samoani'' [ make the plain statement. and I should like "Apia" to n'tite it by sound argument, that wo net p: ;m;-r:iv in Srmtoa lor the

J-'-'Od of ihe Samcan? a; nil. bin to pi'Cv E.'it the .iaimnc-i: obtaining J« footir.S 'iserc. It is fr-r military protection fvr ourselves that wc arc there. Our reason is primarily selfish. "The ethical principle? that cause" (New Zealand» to right in tho Great War." to which -Apia" refers occupation of Samoa, were ;umniecl in the phrase "opposition to PrusS! °n militarism." I challenge "Apia disprove my categorical statement that the continued occupation of k-auica by New Zealand is a continuation of that spirit of Prussian militarism by New Zealand, an occupation >nat is opposed to the will of 95 per cent, of the Samoan people. '"New Zealand's occupation of Samoa V meiely military. a;»1 has done 110th--IR2 for the welfare of the native;." My contention is thai New Zealand's occupation of Samoa is fundamentally rniti®ry and is therefore ethically unjustifiable. I havc> carefully read the Government; Handbook on Samoa and read "'•Mandate Commission"? Report and

■ v o would not be so ignorant as to say that we have done nothing for the welfare of the territory. But all the good is marred by the fundamental injustice. One last word. Does "Apia" know that he is a "benevolent despot" and not a democrat 0 He does not really believe that "self-government is better than good government," or rather, that the only form of good government is self-government, however bad. Does he understand this paradox?— Yours, N. M. BELL. March 31. 1P34. j , j j ; : j : j i ' ; i ! | | 1 i j j j f ; j j j ! j | ; j s t . ' ; I j I I , I !