The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-08-16

signing petitions requesting Presi
dent Wilson to select the governor
of Arizona, the Hon. Geo. w. P
Hunt, as Governor of Porto Rico.
The trade unionists and fraterna
societies are taking active part ir
the campaign. 1t has been stated
here that the labor unions of the
States and President Gompers OF
the American Federation of Labor
will favor the stand taken by the
Porto Ricans. The unfortunate
workers of the island complain that
local authorities have denied them
every right guaranteed under the
Porto Rico Organic Act, and that
strikes have been suppressed; strik-
ers being clubbed and jailed when
they suspended work to enforce a
living wage. Thousands of these
workers employed in raising and
manufacturing sugar are being paid
an avareage wage of 65 cents for
ten hours work. The women get an
average of 45 cents and the children
80 cents a day.
The workers of the island and the
people in general are very we'll
pleased with the news received from
Washington regarding the appoint
ment of commission by President
Wilson to investigate the deplorable
economic and industrial conditions
that prevail down here. The people
of Porto Rico want a fundamental
change in the public affairs of the
country.
AS a "colony," Porto Rico is a
factory work out by industrial
serfs." The 70 per cent of the
wealth created by the Porto Rican
workers is going out of the country
to absentee" profiteers.
In accordance with the Organic
Act approved recently by Congress
the Porto Ricans are declared citi-
zens of the United States, but
more recent decision of the United
States Supreme Court ruled that
the Constitution of the Naion "does
not apply" to the people of Porto
Rico; Notwithstanding, more than
10000 islanders have been drafted
and more than $4,000 are now in |
active military service. There are
100000 children of school age who |
can not read or write and have no |
school accommodations, and it is
claimed that the number is increas-
ing because of low wage standards.
The boasted prosperity of Porto
Rico, proclaimed officially by the
sugar and tobacco trusts and allied
interests. is shown to be a prosper
ty for the few.
No one can describe the pitiable
of these poor people,
while it is generally conceded that
this year was the banner year for
The employers. No doubt some of
hem will clear more than 65 per
cent, still they could not afford to
the wage of the men who
treated their wealth.
The petition to President Wilson
'eads as follows:
TO the President of the United
States of America:
"We. the undersigned, citizens of
he Island of Porto Rico, have
lbiding faith in your declaration of
especially wherein you
ave declared that it can be realized
'nly by the determination of what
he peoples of the world desire
With their longing for justice and
or social freedom and for oppor-
unity
Social freedom and industrial op-
,ortunity are today non-existent for
he mass of the people of Porto
Iico as has been plainly set forth
" General Mcintyre, chief of the
Bureau of Insular Affairs, in these
words:
"'The unfortunate conditions of I
he AGRICULTURAL workers in Porto
Rico and of the much more numer-
,us and more unfortunate agricul-
ural people in Porto Rico, who can >
,ot work because the work is not !
here for them, have been officially
ct forth in the reports of Govern
RS of Porto Rico. in the hearings
,efore Congress, since the report of
he first Military Governor on e
merican occupation of Porto Rico. 0
The facts which would be developed G
" an inquiry would show conditions t
much worse than they are painted s
" Mr. Iglesias, for the reason i:
hat Mr.. Iglesias's present interest
9 in the sugar workers, who even S
# the low wage they are receiving