Micronesian Monthly 1953 V02 11

Micronesian Monthly 1953 V02 11. Micronesian Monthly (Report). Fort Ruger, O'ahu, HI: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. November 1953. p. 34.

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Abstract: Beginning in 1951, the Headquarters for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) regularly published a magazine that detailed its work in the region. From 1951 through the first issue of 1956, the magazine was known as the Micronesian Monthly; from the second issue of 1956 through the end of the run in 1980, it was known as the Micronesian Reporter. From 1951 through December 1967, publication cycles varied: For the most part, the magazine was produced monthly, though certain issues cover two or more months. Starting in 1968, the magazine was formally shifted to a quarterly publication cycle, which continued through the first quarter of 1980, when publication ceased.

The November–December 1953 issue of Micronesian Monthly reported on the return of Senator Guy C. Cordon of Oregon and his party from a three-and-a-half-week fact-finding tour of Guam, Samoa, and the Trust Territory. The delegation, which included Interior Department officials and High Commissioner Frank E. Midkiff, sought firsthand understanding of the islands’ economic and social conditions to inform congressional appropriations and policy. Senator Milton R. Young of North Dakota, originally part of the tour, had to depart early before visiting Micronesia. The issue presented the trip as a significant moment of congressional engagement with the trusteeship.

Notable articles described the itinerary and impressions of the visiting party, emphasizing their observations of government operations, infrastructure, and community life in the islands. Coverage included Senator Cordon’s speeches in Hawaiʻi before and after the trip, as well as his role as chair of the Interior appropriations subcommittee. Reports also detailed accompanying personnel such as William C. Strand (Director, Office of Territories), Del Nucker (Executive Officer), and journalist Riley H. Allen of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. District updates provided news on schools, hospitals, agricultural work, and shipping, while regular humor and cultural features balanced the political focus.

The issue highlighted individuals including Senator Guy C. Cordon, Senator Milton R. Young, Robert Parkman (Cordon’s aide), William C. Strand, Del Nucker, Frank E. Midkiff, and Riley H. Allen. Organizations and institutions included the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, the Department of the Interior’s Office of Territories, the Trust Territory Headquarters, and district administrations. The coverage reinforced the growing visibility of Micronesia in U.S. policymaking circles, underscoring the importance of congressional oversight in shaping the Territory’s future.

Volume Two, Number Eleven (1953) Index: China 19, 33 Congress 1, 10, 20, 22 Ebeye 5 – 6, 14 Economic 23 – 24 Education 3, 8, 32 Guam 1 – 2, 4, 13 – 14, 16, 20, 26, 29 – 30, 33 Handicraft 14 Hicking 31 Japan 5, 14, 16, 18, 21 Japanese 5 – 6, 9, 11, 14, 18 – 19, 21, 31 Majuro 10 Nacua 8, 32 Naval 9, 11, 21 Navy 10, 20, 29 Nukuoro 22, 26 Okinawans 6, 18 Phosphate 26 Ponape (Pohnpei) 11 – 12, 14 – 15, 18 – 22, 29, 31 Ponapeans 12, 18 – 19 Udot 27 United Nations 4, 12 Yap 29 – 30, 33