as Governor. If we are not ready to elect our Governor now in 1972after 72 years of American education, we will never be ready. I have three questions to ask the members of the subcommittee:

One, do we, as elected representatives, believe in representative government?

Two, is 72 years long enough to get ready for it?

Three, can we American citizens say we want free elections in Vietnam, but not in American Samoa, where our U.S. flag has flown for some 72 years?

If this were the year 1900 and this honorable subcommittee were making plans for scheduling the election of a Governor in American Samoa

1. Would it be enough to schedule 25 years for preparation?

2. Would 50 years be long enough?

3. I submit to you that 72 years is far more than ample and sufficient and that any further delays would be colonialism.

Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to all of you, and for the honor and privilege to appear before this honorable committee.

Soifua.

Mr. BURTON. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Mrs. Reed? Would you like to have your statement included at this time in the record and either read from it or say anything in addition that you would like to say?

Mrs. REED. Honorable Mr. Chairman, I believe my statement covers everything.

Mr. BURTON. Thank you very much.

Any questions of the gentleman?

Mr. CLAUSEN. No. I think his statement is very clear, Mr. Chairman. I want to take this opportunity to sort of reverse what you said. You indicated that it is an honor for you to be before this committee. I would submit that it is an honor for us to have you come this far to present your views on behalf of the people that are part of your constituency, and I had the pleasure of a visit with the gentleman and the delegation in my office the other day and I am just hopeful and I don't know whether it will ever be possible because we never have enough time, but I think it would be very helpful if we had a chance to come to visit you.

I have never been down there on the spot and I think it would be helpful at sometime if it is at all possible for some of us who have the opportunity to do so, to visit the area, make an evaluation of the ongoing programs, but more importantly, get to know the people

better.

I have had a good relationship with the Samoans that come to the States that I have known in school. I understand that they are wonderful people and they have very definite views as to what form their self-determination should take, and the matter of the election process and self-determination as far as I am personally concerned, is something certainly that we all look forward to working with you on, subject, of course, to the necessary protections that are required of us under our own administrative and legislative requirements.

Mr. BURTON. Thank you very much, Mr. Clausen.

Mr. President, let me ask you this. Do you think it would be helpful to the people of American Samoa if we were able to somehow find the time to come down and have a hearing right in American Samoa?

Mr. REED. Mr. Chairman and honorable committee, we are very sorry that your committee wrote us a letter that you were not coming down. The people of Samoa are very pleased to see more Members of the Congress come down to Samoa because as we up here with the Governor about our project-it is the same-we would rather you come down there and see the people, what our island needs, and we greatly would appreciate it if your committee can come down to Samoa. We are waiting and expecting you anytime in the Island. Mr. BURTON. Thank you very much.

Mrs. Reed, should we put your statement into the record?

Mr. REED. Honorable Chairman, I have a copy of Mrs. Reed's statement-Mrs. Reed is seated over here, and I would like to have her statement put in the record.

Mr. BURTON. Without objection, it will be so ordered.

Thank you very, very much.

Any further question?

(The statement follows:)

STATEMENT OF MRS. LIUGALUA LE'AENO W. REED

Mr. Chairman, let me first express sincere thanks and appreciation for the opportunity to be heard before the Honorable Committee concerning an issue of great significance to the people of American Samoa. Consideration of this issue is by no means the exclusive domain for men. The women of American Samoa are equally interested, if not more so, in the future of the Territory not only in our role as citizens, but as mothers of young Samoans of today and the future.

Like mothers throughout the Nation, we want a better future for our children. This means better and equal opportunities, respect for human dignity and freedom of choice under American democracy.

Concerning House bills H.R. 11523 and H.R. 12493, I fully support the purpose and intent of said bills, and therefore urge favorable consideration by the Committee and by the Congress of the United States. I respectfully urge your passage of these measures permitting us to elect our own Governor in American Samoa like you do in the United States, Guam, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. I have been active in women's affairs in Samoa and a member of the Samoa Beautification Committee. We Samoans have been electing our own chiefs since prehistoric times-longer than you people in the United States. In Western Samoa, our people there have elected their own leaders. Head of State, Prime Minister and various governmental officials (all Samoans) since they became an "Independent Country" in 1962. We in American Samoa are as able to elect our own leaders of Government. Though we have had the pleasure of having some good Governors from this Great Country, it is time now that we elect our own Governor who speaks our language, understands our people and way of life, and more importantly, understands and respects our customs and traditions. High Talking Chief Le'aeno Reed, my husband, although a citizen of this Great Country (his father being a U.S. citizen), he was born and raised all his life in Samoa. He served in the U.S. Army and fought in World War II. Hundreds and hundreds of other sons and daughters of Samoa have fought and died for this Great Country that we believe in.

Mr. Chairman, I take this opportunity to thank the sponsors of these measures, yourself, your Colleagues, Congressman Matsunaga from Hawaii, and especially to the Lady-Representative Patsy T. Mink not only for her proven leadership in the affairs of the Territories, but for the Nation's affairs as well. I thank the Honorable Committee.

SOIFUA.

Mr. BURTON. Mr. Fuimaono, the Washington delegate for American Samoa.

STATEMENT OF HON. A. U. FUIMAONO, THE WASHINGTON DELEGATE FOR AMERICAN SAMOA

Mr. BURTON. Please proceed.

Mr. FUIMAONO. Mr. Chairman and the honorable members of the committee, first of all I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the members of the committee and to you, Mr. Chairman, for your invitation to offer my views concerning the bills now before the committee. The question before the committee, as I understand it, is to decide whether or not the voters of the territory of American Samoa be given the privilege to select the nominees whom the President would appoint as the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor.

The issue was first raised in a bill introduced by the honorable chairman last fall. Shortly thereafter, I was informed of a trip to American Samoa by the committee last November. In a letter to the honorable chairman, I expressed my full support and cooperation for the visit and gladly accepted an invitation to accompany the committee to the territory. I was of the opinion then, as I am now, that a visit by the committee to the territory would not only provide the appropriate background and environment for Members of Congress to meet the people but would also enable the people to express their views on this issue, for this question is of fundamental importance to the people of American Samoa, whose views I was elected to represent. Unfortunately, for far more important reasons well known to you, the trip never took place.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the matter before you is a very important one and a definite step forward in the political advancement of the territory. However, I am without legal authority to express the views of the people on this question. This is so provided in the Government of American Samoa Public Law 12-9, section 2.1304-Functions of the Delegate At-Large:

*** shall represent to the best of his ability, the views of the people of American Samoa before all branches and agencies of the Federal Government, including the Department of the Interior and the Congress and any other organization public or private. He shall not bind or commit the Government of American Samoa in any manner without specific authority * *

(The above-named document follows:)

[Senate Bill No. 37, Public Law 12-9]

FIRST REGULAR SESSION OF THE TWELFTH LEGISLATURE OF AMERICAN SAMOA (Begun and held at Fagatogo, Tutuila, American Samoa on Monday, the eighth day of February one thousand nine hundred and seventy-one)

AN ACT Relating to the Delegate-at-Large; and amending Sec. 2.1304, Chapter 2.13, Title II of the Revised Code of American Samoa

Be it Enacted by the Legislature of American Samoa:

SECTION 1. Sec. 2.1304, Chapter 2.13, Title II is amended to read:

SEC. 2.1304-FUNCTIONS OF DELEGATE-AT-LARGE: The Delegate-atLarge shall maintain an office in Washington, D.C. and shall represent, to the best of his ability, the views of the people of American Samoa before all branches and agencies of the federal government, including the Department of Interior

and the Congress and any other organization, public or private. He shall not bind or commit the Government of American Samoa in any manner without specific authority. The Delegate-at-Large shall submit a monthly report of his activities to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of the Legislature of American Samoa, and to the Governor, and he shall, upon the request of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, report in person to the Legislature during each regular session of the Legislature or at such other time as the Legislature may deem necessary.

MULITAUAOPELE TAMOTU,

President Pro Tempore. MUAGUTUTI'A F. TUIA,

Vice-Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Hereby Approved this 5th day of April, 1971:

JOHN M. HAYDON, Governor of American Samoa.

Mr. FUIMAONO. With great respect for the honorable committee, it is with regret that I inform you that the views of the people of American Samoa have not been communicated to me. Furthermore, "specific authority," as required by law has not yet been delegated to me.

Mr. Chairman, this is a very brief statement to the committee and I am very happy to present my brief views to your committee this morning.

If there are any questions, that I can help answer for the information of the committee, I will be very happy to.

Mr. BURTON. Thank you for the statement. On behalf of all members of the subcommittee, I would like to commend you for your effective work and efforts, working with us, trying to give us the benefit of the views of the people of American Samoa on some of the questions that have been before us in the Congress.

Are there any questions by other members of the committee?
Mr. CLAUSEN. No questions.

Mr. BURTON. Thank you very much.

Senator Salanoa S. P. Aumoeualogo. We welcome you to the subcommittee, Senator.

STATEMENT OF SALANOA S. P. AUMOEUALOGO, SENATOR,

LEGISLATURE OF AMERICAN SAMOA

Mr. CLAUSEN. Senator, May I just also welcome you to the committee. I, too, enjoyed my visit with you in the office the other day. Regrettably I have another meeting in 3 minutes down in my office and I hope you will accept my apologies for not being able to remain but I think I understand your thoughts in the matter based upon the conversations we had the other day. But I have a problem in my own congressional district that has come up that I have got to resolve and I have a meeting in my office in just about 2 minutes.

Mr. AUMOEUALOGO. All right, sir.

Mr. BURTON. May I, Senator, before you proceed, ask President Reed if I am correct that your senate and house have voted to support the legislation before us?

Mr. REED. Yes.

Mr. BURTON. Thank you; please proceed, Senator.

Mr. AUMOEUALOGO. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Salanoa S. P. Aumoeualogo. I am a member and former president of the Senate of American Samoa. I am here today to testify

in favor of the proposed bills to give the people of American Samoa the opportunity to elect their own Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

For 72 years, American Samoa has lived under the influence of American democracy, which Abraham Lincoln described as government by the people. When we view the history of the Virgin Islands and Guam, which now elect their own Governors, we are prone to be touched with a keen sense of disappointment that this aspect of popular democracy is denied to us.

We experienced a real sense of pride and accomplishment when our first delegate-at-large, the Honorable A. U. Fuimaono, was elected to represent us in Washington, D.C. We looked upon this as the first step in establishing stronger ties with our Nation's Capital-and we consider it an important milestone in our progress toward fully responsible and democratic self-government. We believe that the popular election of our Governor and Lieutenant Governor is the next logical step.

I regret that distance and travel costs make it impossible for more members of the legislature and interested citizens to appear before you in order to echo the sentiments which I express. However, it is my sincere belief that very little, if any, opposition exists in American Samoa to the concept of popular election of the chief executive of our government. In fact, our own administration, headed by our very capable Governor, John M. Haydon, has many times voiced the belief that nothing should stand in the way of complete democratic government for the people of our territory including the election of our own Governor.

As the committee is already aware, both houses of the Legislature of American Samoa have passed a resolution supporting the proposed legislation for the election of a Governor and Lieutenant Governor. In this connection, I want to point out to the committee that the voice of the Samoan Legislature represents both the voice of the general population of our islands and the voice of the chiefs who constitute the traditional leaders of American Samoa.

As currently constituted, our legislature is comprised of a lower house, the house of representatives, whose members are popularly elected by all qualified voters 18 years of age or older, and an upper house, the senate, whose members are traditional chiefs chosen according to traditional Samoan custom by the chiefly councils of the various counties. I want to emphasize that both these houses representing both the popular will and the traditional leadership of American Samoa, have endorsed the principle of an elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

It is also significant that the principle of an elected Governor was among the major recommendations of the Future Political Status Study Commission for American Samoa, of which I was privileged to serve as chairman. I refer the committee to the report of the commission published in 1970 for a more detailed statement of the reasons why a popularly elected Governor would serve the interests of the Samoan people.

I am aware of the view expressed by some that eligibility for election to the post of Governor should be restricted to those with the status of high chief. Let me say that among the high chiefs of American Samoa are some experienced and capable men who are eminently