Evening star., 1924-05-11
WOMEN WORK TO MAKE
ISLE OF PINES AMERICAN
Long Struggle With Officials Here to End
When Senate Votes on Old Treaty With
Cuba Deciding Nationality of Island.

tary evidence to support their claim
that after the Spanish-American war
and the treaty with Spain Americans
invested in property and settled on
the island on the strength of assur-
ances from various government de-
partments that the island was ceded
to the United States by Spain and
was therefore United States territory.
There is no doubt that such was the
case under the treaty of Paris, bat
whether the Isle of Pines thereafter
became Cuban or American territory
is the point at issue. Cuba claims the
island is geographically, and always
has been considered such, a part Of
Cuba. Maps and charts prepared by
United States government agencies are
shown by proponents Of the treaty to
support their claim that the Isle OF
Pines has always been considered an
integral part of Cuba The treaty's
opponents come back with the asser-
ton that President Mckinley ordered
that the Isle of Pines should be noted
upon the cession maps of the United
States. Elihu Root, as Secretary of
State, contended that the Isle of Pines
was Cuban territory and subject to the
government and control of Cuba
Americans on the Isle of Pines. how
ever, quote other government officials
to show that the island has never been
considered geographically or politically
a part of Cuba.
Cuba Has Control.
Whether the United States or Cuba
owns the Isle of Pines, Cuba has had
control since her independence. When
Gov. Gen. Wood turned over Cuba
to her own people he turned
over the Isle of Pines with it, and
Cuba has exercised control. undis-
puted by this government, for the
last twenty-odd years. In the mean
time Americans came to the island,
attracted by it's fertility and fine eli
mate, and set about establishing their
plantations OF citrus fruit, building
roads, schools and otherwise provid-
ing for their welfare and comfort.
They bought and now own 90 per cent
of the property on the island and
their population about equals that of
the natives.
The Americans on the Isle of Pines
make no attempt to conceal the open
friction that has always existed be
tween them and the Cuban govern
ment. They are picturesque in their
descriptions of conditions unoer
which they have lived as aliens. The!
claim to have suffered humiliationS
and indignities for over twenty
years Having no voice in the gov
ernment under which they live-hav
ing retained their American citizen
ship-they claim to have been unjust
ly taxed and prosecuted for minor or
imaginary infractions of the law.
Mrs Gariner-Fetter called on the
State Department week or so ago
to protest against the Imprisonment
of her husband, who, she claims, was
arrested and tried for a failure 10
comply with q health regulation
which had never before been en-
forced She saw in her husband
imprisonment, she said, an attempt
on the part of Cuban authorities -
get even" with her for her activities
here.
May Block Ratification.
Cuba undoubtedly has a strong and
just claim to the island, as the treaty
and the events leading up TO its ne
gotiation will testify. Senator Lodge
and the foreign relations committes
favor its ratification. The State Dc
partment considers the matter solel>
from an international point of view.
The valiant fight waged by the dele
CATION of women since they came to
Washington may block ratification
when the matter comes to vote. but
that is rather doubtful. Should the
American inhabitants of the island
lose and the treaty is ratified the
will feel that their government mis-
led them into the belief that the:
were settling and investing their
property in American territory, only
to be expatriated later and their
homes and lands placed at the mercy
of a foreign government