1 - American Memory

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But seriously, I hope that this problem can be -worked out in the Con-
gress and if there is anything that I, as a member of this committee
can do to help work it out, I would be happy to do so.
Mr. iViATSUNAGA. Thank you very much. The fact that hearings are
now being held is an indication that certainly our exercise will not
be one in futility.
Mr. JARMAX. Mr. Skubitz ?
Mr. SKUBITZ. I have no questions at this time, Mr. Chairman. We
are pleased to have our colleagues here, and Senator Fong. We will
give this measure every consideration.
Mr. JARMAN. At this point in the hearings, I will ask Mr. Mat-
sunaga, would you care to present the following witnesses or would
you want the Chair to do so ?
Mr. MATSTJNAGA. Yes; if we may proceed in order, I would like to
present a cosponsor of the measure from Guam, Delegate Won Pat. He
will be our next witness.
Mr. JARMAX. The committee will be pleased to hear from Delegate
Won Pat.
STATEMENT OF HON. ANTONIO B. WON PAT, A DELEGATE TO
CONGRESS FKOM THE TERRITORY OF GUAM
Mr. WON PAT. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I
would like at the outset to join the Hawaiian delegation in thanking
you for making these hearings possible today.
Mr. Chairman, before I begin with my testimony, I would like to
present and read a letter from the speaker of the Guam Legislature
addressed to the Hon. Harley O. Staggers, the chairman of the Com-
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, if the committee has no
objection.
Mr. JARJIAN. The committee will be glad to hear it.
Mr. WON PAT. The letter reads:
DEAR MB. CHAIRMAN : It is with seriou« concern and renewed hope that I write
in support of H.R. 7189, the bill to guarantee the normal flow of ocean com-
merce between Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, the Trust Territories of the Pacific and
the West Coast of the United States. In this instance, also, I Itnow I am spealt-
ing for the entire membership of the Twelfth Guam Legislature and. Indeed, the
people of Guam.
It is my understanding that from earlier testimony before your Committee,
the necessity for such legislation was overwhelmingly established, and it is not
my purpose to reiterate the facts of the matter. I know that you have on file state-
ments from the Guam Chamber of Commerce and from individual merchants.
I do recall that it was the Eleventh Guam Legislature which organized the
merchants into a "Strike Crisis Committee", two years ago this August. It was
the legislature which adopted several resolutions in this and the predecessor
body calling for legislation to protect Guam and other Pacific island communities
from the crippling effects of shipping strikes.
With the negative results of the last strike so vivid in my mind, I take heart
in endorsing the efforts of the United States Congress to remedy the situation.
We are honored to add our support to that of the State of Hawaii and of our
peers In the other Pacific islands. Please accept my best wishes for expeditious
enactment and our heartfelt gratitude for your efforts to remove this dark shadow
which hovers over our economic well-being, in fact over our daily subsistence.
Sincerely yours,
F. T. RAMIREZ.
Speaker, Ouam Legislature.