The Washington times., 1916-07-25
Treaty Concluded Whereby This
Government viii Pay Twen-
ty-fve Million for Islands.
SOON TO GO TO CONGRESS
viii Afford Naval Base In Carib-
bean as important as Pearl
Harbor in Pacific.

After negotiations extending intermit-
.entiy over q period OF nifty years. the
United states has concluded q treaty
LOT the purchase OF the Danish w est
Indies.
The announcement. OF exceeding value
TO the commercial and national defense
interests Of the United states, comes IN
news dispatch from Copenhagen.
The national legislatures OF the United
states and Denmark soon will be asked
TO approve Of the treaty OF purchase.
ana the Congress OF this country 70
appropriate ><o,UUVUV.
Here Is the basis of the agreement
which Will add to the insular posses
sions Of the United States. and anord
TINS nation a naval base in the Carib-
bean Sea OF almost as much Importance
as Pearl Harbor in the racinc:
The United states acquires full DOS
81; John. and IT. Croiz. lying less than
hundred miles east or Porto Rico. The
serrNory acquired covers about lI
square miles.
The wonderful natural harpor ana
ideaI site for a naval base Ia found at
Snarlotte Amahe. 81. Ihomas-a port
or call for the European trade bound
Ior the West Indies. Central America,
ohu noTtnern south America.
Terms of Agreement.
, In return for these valuable posses
sions the United States agrees to give
denmark @B.UO.UU. and all American
rights OF discovery in Greenland.
Greenland Is q Danish possession OF
some sz!.UO square miles. The United
states. however. has certain rights OF
discovery. which never have been fully
denned. and II is now proposed to give
that territory.
-Four years ago there were rumors
that Germany sought a naval base in
the Danish West Indies. The fact that
the United states Is developing a great
base at Guantanamo. Cuba. does not
make II imperative that another De es-
tablished In the Caribbean. but, obvious
iy this country could not AFFORD to have
any european nation obtain possession
OF strategic base within a compare
lively short distance OF Cuba, Porto
Rico. Haiti. ana the Dominican Repub-
lie.
Acquisition. therefore. OF the islands
constituting the West Indies group may
De regarded as precautionary meas
on the part OF the United states.
Chance to Purchase in 1858.
Twice within the past half century
has the United States had an opportun-
ity to get possession OF the rich West
Indies. or a part OF them.
In 1868. shortly after the close OF the
civil war. the Danes agreed to sell 81
Thomas and the neighboring island of
81. John for q little more than S.7OOJ.OUO.
At that time the United States was
undergoing the travail OF reconstruc-
ton. its finances were low. ana public
arairs were disturbed. The opportunity
slipped by.
In 1902 there were further negotiations
for the acquisition OF st. John and st.
Thomas. The United States offered to
pay $4,000 900 for the islands. About that
time. however. a wave Of patriotic
sentiment swept through Denmark
there was aroused great opposition to
the proposal to relinquish sovereignty
over the islands. and the Danish legis-
lature recorded tie vote on the sale
proposal.
The defeat Of the bill for the ratiaca-
ton OF the treaty by the Danes was
accomplished by carrying into the
chamber of the Landsthing two mem.
bers. eighty-seven and ninety-one. re.
spectively. to vote against sale.
It is recalled here that when the sale
proposal was rejected by Denmark GER.
tain officials of the United States had q
suspicion that German infiudhces had
, been instrumental in bringing about
the refusal Of the American offer.
Lodge Outlined Value.
The stategic Importance Of the Yves,
Indies. from the standpoint Of the
United States. was explained by Sen
ator Lodge. at that time chairman OF