The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-14
SALE OF DANISH
 WEST INDIES IS AGAIN DISCUSSED
Conditions On Island Poor, Natives Consider Deal
 With the United States

St. Thomas, March 1.-The report l that the Danish government might reopen the old question of the sale of the Danish West Indies to the Unit | ed States has attracted attention to the industrial and economic condi- tions here at the present time. In answer to inquiries from the United States it may be said that the condi- tions are most unsatisfactory both on
 this island, and the island of St. Croix.
 There is a serious depression in trade and scarcely any money in cir culation in St. Thomas. This is chief 1y due to the European war and the closing of the Panama Canal. The chief industry of the island has al- ways been the supplying of coal and water and other necessities to ships, but this is now practically at a standstiH, particularly because of the suspension of the steamship service of the Hamburg-American line. This company gave employment to a large number of laborers and others, the majority of whom have had to emi- grate to Santo Domingo or other ag- ricultural islands in order to make a livelihood. In fact it is felt now that the Hamburg-American line has, more than was heretofore realized, been the main support of the island, disbursing a large sum of money an nually. It is only recently that there was completed here an exren- sive system of harbor works. with an up-to-date dock and all modern ap- pliances such as electrical coal cranes, warehouses and oil tanks, and with the opening of the Panama Ca-, nal it was expected that a great trade would develop here But the slides in the canal have prevented these hopes from being realized.
 There are no serious labor troubles nor real signs of distress, however, and the people are living in hopes that with the reopening of the Canal and the cessation of the war, condi- tions will rapidly improve.
 On the island of St. Croix the strike which paralyzed the sugar industry has been a serious matter. The isl- and, very much more so than St. Thomas, is agricultural, and this years production sof sugar and rum promises to be exceptional. Follow ing the formation of a labor union, the 1aborers on the sugar estates contended that with the increased prices for sugar they should be paid more wages, but this was refused by the planters When the strike be- gan, thousands of the workers were turned off the estates, and hocked, with personal belongings, to the towns of F'redericksted and Christiansted, where, for the past month, they have been living in tents and matched houses, and school buildings.
 Notwithstanding the unsettled con- ditions. there have been few disor- derS, except for a small amount of suspected incendiarism.
 The government has recently pass ed several bills looking to the i'm provement of the laborers of both isl- ands including the parcelling out among them of small lots of lana under certain conditions. If these measures are carried out they should improve the situation greatly.
 Short after the foregoing was mail ed from St. Thomas, cable dispatches announced the settlement of the su- gar strike, the laborers winning a, small increase in wages. T