Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-04-09

lSilGtl IlO,11I OE III VI per cent OF
the total registration
1t therefore appears that out of a
total registration of more than 23,000,-
900 men but LII per cent Wrongfully
sought to escape the military obliga-
ton imposed upon them by the selec-
ent time but 0.72 of per cent of the
entire registration group have failed
to respond to the duty imposed upon
them and have not yet been brought
to justice. 1t also appears that be-
tween September II, 1913, and June
30, 1919, $4,000 deserters have been
apprehended and delivered to the mil
itary authorities for disposition. 1t is
thought that within the next IL months
the total of net outstanding assertions
will be materially reduced. so that the
final result will show percentage
very much less than the present low
figures stated above.
Not the least interesting informa-
ton that the final compilation of sta
tistics concerning the operation Of the
draft discloses is its cost. The total
amount appropriated by congress for
the expenses of the selective service
system was $54.896,9O3. OF this
amount $50, 847, 91424 was expended.
People Are Neglected.
The Virgin islands in the Caribbean
sea, which recently came into posses
sion of the United States through
purchase from Denmark, must be
Americanized This is the gist of
the report of the joint congress
sional committee which made
trip to the islands for the purpose of
looking into the allegation that the
United States is neglecting the well
fare of the islands. This country has
had so many big problems to deal with
since it bought these islands that it
has really paid very little atten6ion to
them. AS soon as title to the islands
passed from Denmark to the United
States President Wilson issued an or
der which committed the government
Of the islands temporarily to the navy
department That order was issued
about the time the United States was
Ever since that order was promulgat-
ed Rear Admiral J. w. Oman, U. S.
|. NJ, has served as governor of the is
lands. The power conferred on the
admiral was limited and he has, it
seems, not attempted any reforms, be-
cause he felt that he was not author
lied to do so.
The senators and representatives
who made up the joint committee that
visited the islands was very emphatic
in the declaration that this country
must either do something for the in
habitants of the group of islands or
turn the islands over to some govern
ment that will take an interest in the
people. The outstanding features of
the report of the joint committee,
which will shortly be submitted to the
two houses of congress, are embodied
In the following recommendations:
% American ideals and American
standards as far as possible shall be
made the ideals and standards Of these
possessions. (2) An American form Of
! civil government should be estab-
lished for the group Of islands. (3l
United States currency should be
adopted in the islands. az An educa-
tional system adapted to the needs of
the inhabitants should be provided and
departments dealing with industrial
affairs, agriculture and sanitation
should be established without delay.
The government never has put forth
any clear statement as to why the Is
| lands were purchased. 1t was said at
the time of the transfer that they
would be useful to the navy of the
| country in case the United States
| should ever be attacked by foreign
| foe. The truth seems to be that the
| islands had become burden to Den
mark, which offered to sell them to the
/ United States at a Touchdown price
and that this government concluded
| that the offer was a bargain and ac-
cepted it. Whatever the justification
for the purchase of the islands, it now
/ Is incumbent on the United States, &C.
cording to the joint congressional COM
mittee, to do something for the inhabi-
tants and do it at once. Inc commits
tee will report to congress that the
people are not any better off under
American rule than they were under
/ the Danish rule
Group of Fifty Islands.
While only three islands in the
group ever get public mention there
are, all told, some fifty islands that
came into the possession Of the United
States. For the most part these So
called islands are merely rocks stick
ing out of the water and are uninhab-
tied. The three principal islands, and
indeed the only ones that have any
value worth mentioning, are ST.
Thomas. st. Croix and St. John. These
three islands, which lie close together,
are so miles east of Porto Rico, about
4 1000 miles southeast of Key West and
Florida, and in the neighborhood of
1.43O miles from New York. The con-
gressional committee ascertained that
the present population of the islands is
about $4,000. OnlA3 per cent of the
population is white. The 81 per cent
is for the most part of negro extrac-
! ton.