The Indianapolis times., 1925-01-28
Quarrel Is Between Presl-
dent and Members of /.
Congress,
IS22 Neto York AVenae.
Times WGshin0ton Bureau.

1
America are threatened with a seri-
Gus setback as result of the row
between the United States and Cuba
over the Isle of Pines, a grapefruit
bearing island eighty miles south OF
the Cuban mainland.
The Cuban claim to the island has
been upheld by the last FIVE Ameri-
can Presidents in succession-Roos
welt, Taft, Wilson, Harding and
Coolidge-and by every. American
Secretary of State since John Hay.
But for twenty-five years a small
bloc of United States Senators has
stood in the way, refusing to allow
the two-thirds vote necessary to rat:
ify the treaty recognizing that
claim.
The quarrel, therefore, is really
between the White House and Capi-
tol Hill, in Washington, and not
between Cuba. and America.
For weeks. President Coolidge,
the last to take up the fight, has
been trying to get favorable action
by the Senate. But congressional
opposition, now headed by Senator
Borah, chairman of the Foreign Re-
lations Committee of the upper
house, continues to block the road.
And, barring some sudden turn Of
events. the battle is likely to go on.
Part of Cuba
The Isle of Pines, about the size
of Rhode Island and with popla-
tion Of $500 Of whom approximate
ly 700 are Americans, has always
been considered as much part of
Cuba as Long Island or Santa Cata-
lima is part Of the United States.
1t was so administered in the days
of Spanish rule
In 1902. after the Spanish -Ameri.
can War. the Cubans adopted, as
part of their constitution, what is
known as the Platt amendment.
Part Of that amendment provides
''tkat the Isle Of Pines shall be
omitted from the proposed constitu.
tional boundaries Of Cuba, the title
thereto being left to future adjust
ment by treaty"
In 1903, John Hay and the Cuban
minister to Washington, Gonzalo de
Quesada, signed treaty whereby
the island went to Cuba. In 1901
we acquired from Cuba the right tc
establish a naval base in Guantana
mo Bay, in southeastern Cuba, as
! part Of a second Hay Qu,esada treaty
which again yielded all claim to the
Isle of Pines ''in consideration OF
the grants of coaling stations hereto
fore made"
Row in Earnest
The row between the White House
and the Senate now began in earn
est. Despite President Roosevelt s
efforts to secure ratification. the
Senate ratified only the Guantanamo
half of the treaty; passing up the
part referring to the home Of the
1 grapefruit.
Since then. each President has
tackled the problem only to go iowr
/ in defeat. Federal courts have up
held Cuba's claim to the island. Even
the Supreme Court OF the United
States-infallible according to most
of the Senators now blocking rec.
ognition of the treaty-has con
f1rmed that decision. and still II
hangs fire.
| A blunder somewhere in the Ad
ministration of President Mckinley
seems to provide the only ground
the treaty opposition has to stand on
While John Hay then ambassador
to London, was telling Europe the
Spanish War was ''from the highest
motives of humanity and in no
sense a war conquest" statement
was issued by the War Department
saying the island was American
territory.
Root Disavowed Act
Elihu Root was then Secretary Of
War. Soon after that he became
Secretary of State and did every
thing in bis power to have the
treaty ratified, saying the island
was Cuba's by international rights
and justice. He even disavowe0
the act Of the War Department say
ing the assistant secretary .hat
issued the document on his owr
authority.
Meantime, however, American
spectators had taken advantage OF
the situation thus created and
swarmed to the island. Most of the
land was bought up by them and
resold at a profit. in many cases
doubtlessly to confding Americans
some of whom still hold title.
Is Uncle Sam responsible for this
blUnder? Cuba now administers the
Isle Of Pines. and there is some
friction between Americans and
Cubans there. but would the Ameri
cans be ruined, as they claim, if the
Hay-Quesada treaty were ratified?
Whether or not such would be the
case is beside the mark, SO far al
Cuba and the rest of Latin -Americs
are concerned. To hold the island
now would be taken by them 81
proof Of an already too-widespreaf
suspicion in that part ,of the worIt
that the powerful Uncle Sam fosters
a Monroe Doctrine to keep Other
powers away from the Americas &c
that he, himself, may have NOR,
land to gobble.
| CL1AAss