6 o GEC38b0 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF TERRITORIES WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 4006S1 March 21, 1969 . Memorandum To: The Under Secretary From: Commissioner for Public Affairs, Trust Territory of Subject: Ujelang the Pacific Islands The following is an addendum to my memorandum of this date and is forwarded at the suggestion of your Secretary, Mr. Boyd Gibbons. i feel that the requests of the Ujelangese are justified and in order. Accordingly, I would like to recommend the following: 1. We establish “a fair land value” for Eniwetok Atoll, using $1,000 per acre and deducting a limited amount of acreage in consideration for their present occupancy on Ujelang. We arrive at a figure in the vicinity of $1,250,000 (approximately 1,250 acres). The Ujelangese do not expect to receive this money. Merely the income (annual) from this amount. The principal, therefore, could be invested and eventually used for rehabilitation of the Eniwetok Atoll or for some other purpose. 2. I would recommend that a trust fund be established and that the Congress of Micronesia be listed as the trustee or one of the trustees. It would be up to the trustee or trustees to see that the funds (as provided for in item 1) be suitably invested and guarantee the Ujelangese a fair annual return. This would permit the Micronesians to control the destiny of this fund, and would tend to tie the Congress of Micronesia to any future problems and make them a party to same. 3. LI can offer very little advice in regard to the expected date of return. If it is possible for the United States to give a definite date at this time, I would urge that we do so. If it is impossible, and I suspect this will be the case, I would strongly urge that we teil them very firmly that we are in no position to promise them any definite date of return, and that they should not expect us to do so now. By so doing, we would indicate to them that they are to cease thinking about return and concern themselves more with immediate problems. en * . “ 4 af “ / i Judas | a i. } ae 7