Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-04-19
WILL END NEGLECT
OF VIRGIN ISLANDS
Capt. S. E. w. KittelIe, New
Governor, to Bear Message
From President.

Capt. Summer 4. W. Kitteile, United
States Navy. on duty with the board
OF inspection and survey here for the
last two years. sails tomorrow to as
sumo his new duties as governor OF
the Virgin Islands. Capt. Kittelle is
carrying with him from President
Harding a word of greeting and good
/ cheer to the inhabitants OF the is
lands. who were all but forgotten dur
ing the first two years they were
placed under the American flag. Presi-
dent Harding told Capt. kittelle he
was particularly interested in seeing
to IL that the Virgin Islanders should
come To appreciate the benefits OF
American institutions. and in has mes
! sage to the regular session OF Con
eress next December viii ask that
the recomme ndations of the Kenyon
JOINT congressional commission which
VISITED the islands year or so ago
| be given every consideration.
The appointment of Capt Kittelle
| as governor OF the islands was made
! by President Harding on recon-
| mendation of the Secretary of the
Navy, Mr.. DENLY. and it marks new
| policy in dealing with the naval gov
, ernorships Capt. kittelle is the
senior officer of the Navy in his
| grade. and il is the purpose of Secre-
| tary DENLY TO select in the future
| men OF mature experience and good
| judgment to preside over the desti-
| MES 70 the peoples of our island pos
sessions where naval control is being
exercised in the absence of any other
! fixed form of government. Capt Kit
, telle has an excellent reputation for
! handling men. The ship commanded
by him during the war period, the
| Georgia. made the Navy record for
training seamen for transfer TO 9TH
| er vessels. Capt. kittelle also COM
| manded two trans Atlantic troop ex-
| petitions at a time when enemy sub
marine activities in the Atlantic were
at their height.
Forgotten During the War.
The Virgin Islands had the mis-
| fortune to come into American pos
| session just a few days before war
| was declared by the United States
| against Germany. In the whirl of
| events that followed the peoples OF
| what had been the Danish West In.
| dies we're forgotten by Congress and
| by the people of this country in
general The Navy. sorely pressed
| for officers for war duties, neverthe-
| less assumed sort of guardianship
over the islands and naval governor
was appointed. The governor re-
ceived about as much attention as
! the inhabitants. however. and little
| thought of any sort was given to the
new possessions and the new Amer
| lean citizens until one day an odd
| looking fellow wearing faded brown
! DERBY drifted into the offices of Sem
| ator Kenyon on Capitol Hill and told
! a heart-grippinG story OF the ire
mendous disappointment OF the peo-
ple that in two years OF american
sovereignty there had been aosoiuoeay
no moral help extended and very lit
| tie physical.
IL still remains true that about all
IL at has beer done for the islands has
been in the way of sanitary improve
| ments. These were very necessary, 81
course. and will be OF enormous pehe-
fit in the future.
II is now four years since the
islands came into American posses
sion and Danish money still is In
General use The American dollar
in this American colony has sold "a,
premium of as high as % per cent
Investigation by Commission.
The story told by the man in the
little brown derby caused Senator
Kenyon to take up in Congress the
neglect of the islands. He said there
was plenty of excuse for this neglect
during the period of the war, out
no excuse for a continuance of II ~
neace time. AS result of his ef-
fcrts a Joint congressional commits
sion was authorized to proceed -
the islands and study conditions
there. They found. besides other
things, that the people still are liv-
ling under a Danish code OF laws The
commission has recommended an
American syste n of currency and an
American code of laws. based uponj
American principles and ideals. and
the undertaking of extensive educa-
tional work. The commission de-
nounced the system OF taxation IN
the islands as unjust. inefficient and
archaic. The mail facilities have
cen almost nil.
With President Hardins's permits
sion and hearty approval Capt: Kit
telle has taken up with several cab
met officers matters affecting the
is;.nds and he will work out as many
improyements as are possible under
nurcly executive authority.