‘.
2
Kwajalein May 28 (AP). Shrewd Marshall Island leaders believe their
protest to the United Nations against American hydrogen bomb experiments
fut a whip in their hand and they don't intend to lay it down,
are scared,
Their people
The netives of Rongelap and Utirik Atclis were endangered by
the March 1 hydrogen bomb blast and many were injured.
Natives of Bikini
and Eniwetok were uprooted from their home Atolls in 1946-47 and have little
hopes of regaining them.
I talked to the Marshallese who drafted the protest
‘which went direct to the United Nations,
They recognize that it might give
Russia some political emminition in the June session of the United Nations,
that it might burt close American friends in the Trust Territory, Civil
Administration of the Isiand chain,
They say they will not budge from their
stand as stated in their petiticn, /Overtures already have been made through
High Commissioner Frank Midkiff to the Marshallese,
In a quick trip here
last week Midkiff suggested that they send word to United Nations delogate
Hemry Cabct Lodge Cunior that “we are sure everything is being done that is
necessary for our welfare."
Fluent, English epenking Dwight Heins, Superintendent of Marshall island
intermediary schocls and leader of the petition, told me: "some people think
we are naive children of the tropics,
will send Ambessador Ledge a reply,
We are not as naive as they think.
We
It will be polite but we will not senz
anything like hasbeen Suggested to use"/ There is no doubt -- among Marshallese
cr Americans on the scene -- that the United States Government has gone allout
to help the 82 natives from Rongelap and the 154 from Utirik,
the finest medical care.
Theyhave been adequately fed and sheltered,
have been compensated for lost Copra crops.
for their home Atoll,
They have had
They
Utiriks 154 inhabitants left tcday
They took with them from Kwajalein 100 tons of bounty.
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