The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-01-31
GOVERNMENT FoR
DANISH wEssT IxpIFs


-
stens are belg takcn by tho United
States government 20 establish .
temporary form OF government for III,
Danish West Indies and also toward
providing the purchase nnds 81
tss.o90 900. President Wilson has
sent a message 10 y emphasis.
inR the necessity for raising the funds
AZ the present short session.
Payment OF the purchase price must
ne made not later than April is, ae-
cerdlnE 10 the presidents message
sent To nTre which states. In pars:
THE attention ~ the cnpre Is ca
pecisily invited to the necessity OF
action being taken by the congress
during It's present session that VIII er
able the government 81 the United
eiatee 20 discharge its conventional
OBLIGATION "a pay ~ the government
~ Denmark the sum Of ses.0oe. 600.
which. ~ article V OF the convention.
The United States agrees q pay In fall
IN consideration 81 the cession within
so dayp from the date OF the exchange
90 the notifications of the convention.
This exchange 81 ratinvations was cf-
feeted on Jan. ". 1917. so tina The
goed faith Of the United States re-
qplres the payment OF $40. coo. 600 not
later than April ~. 1917. and do DO
this provision by the congress durins
its present session Is imperative"
Two steps arr to he taken toward
providing tho purchase price. There
s. 10 be a provision In the revenue bill,
now being considered by The house
ways and means committee. for n bond
issue 70 meet the debt. Then. IN an
appropriation biz. probably the sun
dry civil bill. n provision win be in-
cluded 10 authorize the secretary OF
the treasury to pay the money over to
the Danish government when IL be-
comes due.
The form Of government TO he estab- |
llshed q a more difficult proposition
han is the matter Of raising the pur-
chase price. According 20 Senator
Stone, Eorne simple form Of govern
ment II likely 10 be set up tentatively.
pending the decision OF ms 20
the permanent code. The senator pro.
poses the appointment ~ a naval
officer 10 take charge tentatively. coli
lecting the customs and performing
the othe- necessary functions OF gov
m On the other hand there Is
a sentiment in favor OF putting the
islands IN the control OF an army off,
GER for the time being.
The foreign relations committee OF
the senate Is expected 20 make an
early recommendation OF some fcaS-
ibie plan. Senator Stone does not be-
neve hat Il will be necessary for the
present 20 go into the question 10 the
extent Of establishing n government
similar TO that embraced by the For
nker act Of 1900. under which Porto
Rico has been governed. No such
elaborate plan Is needed. he said, for
the present.
II Is believed that. before n final
code II agreed upon. a commission
will be appointed to visit the new is-
land a%cquiei:ion OF the United States.
90 study the prospects from various
angles. This commission. also. could
determine from close hand investlga-
ton h asvisnbiiity Of extending citi-
zenship. In fun or In part. 10 the Is
landers az the outset. II il also pos
sible that such a commission would
be given the authority TO recommend
a permanent name Tor the new pos
sessions. There have been many pro-
posals IN this point among them he
Ing the accommodation that the f.
lands be known as h United states
West Indies. or the Dewey Isles.