The Sun TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1928. “SCARECROWS" IN SAMOA

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 302, 13 March 1928, Page 10

The Sun TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1928. “ SCARECROWS " IN SAMOA

AX extraordinary secret message concerning the strained posi- “ tion of affairs in Western Samoa has been given unusual prominence in an Auckland journal. The communication purports to be a coded radio message from Apia, subject to the existing drastic censorship and, therefore, to he taken as correctly representing the present conditions in the mandated territory.

The report is so serious in its statements of presumable fact, and so much loaded with mischievous propaganda, which may not be all the truth and nothing but the truth, that The Sun, as an essential exercise of plain duty to its readers, publishes it to-day with the prominence such a message deserves. It is right and proper that all the people of New Zealand, irrespective of party polities or political opinion, be it honest and hostile or merely sycophantic, should, in delicate and dangerous circumstances, know what is going on in Samoa. They should know also why certain coded messages from Apia are held up while others, without disclosure of their source, are allowed to pass by and gain broadcast freedom. Moreover, such knowledge should be disseminated only by responsible officials without prejudice, or entirely suppressed as provocative news and views. The origin of the latest inflammatory message from Apia is a mystery. It has been discreetly, if not deliberately, concealed. The nature of the coded communication is so grave in substance, and even so much worse in its shadows, that the source of the information should have been disclosed as evidence of honesty and proof of authority. Who sent the ominous message, and what is its purpose ? Prom a completely independent political view of the simmering brew of mischief in Samoa, we have no hesitation in saying plainly that, if it be a despicable thing for one side in politics to make party capital out of the Samoan disaffection, it is no less despicable for the other side to follow a bad example. The mysterious message asserts that the discontented natives jeer at the New Zealand marines and contemptuously refer to the Dominion’s cruisers as “scarecrows.” Also, that the agitated natives are becoming increasingly insubordinate and given to open insults to white women. Because of this, it is reported, many Europeans are armed, while plans are being made to ensure the protection which the warships apparently are unable to give. Such is the first half of this remarkable message from Apia. In parts it sounds something like a prelude to internecine warfare; in other tones it suggests incitement to a naval bombardment of an emotional, nerve-wracked community. It is quite clear that the New Zealand warships are not the only “scarecrows” at and in Western Samoa.

The second half of the radio bulletin is devoted to a political indictment of Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Opposition in the New Zealand Parliament. It appears that his speeches on the Samoan trouble have been translated -into the Samoan language and circulated freely among natives and halfcastes. It is a pity that Mr. Holland’s comment has been given the prominence usually associated with the highest importance. In- our opinion one of his speeches was extremely foolish as to its advocacy of a policy of despair and a surrender of the mandate, but even such foolishness does not alter the staring fact that, as Leader of His Majesty’s Opposition, Mr. Holland has a perfect right to criticise the Government. If his criticism be ill-judged or in any way contrary to fact, he will suffer the political penalty in good time. But retaliatory political propaganda of a provocative brand is not the way to combat even malevolent criticism. The administrative authorities should make a quick end to dangerous propaganda from Apia.