Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30

bers of the governors cabinet. The
President appoints the justices Of the
Supreme Court of Porto Rico. The
organic law prohibits the Porto Rican
Legislature from interfering with the
organization OF the executive council
! It can neither create nor consolidate
nor abolish any Of the departments of
the government. The borrowing ca
pacity of the insulsr government and
of the municipalities is limited by the
organic law. No change can be made
by the local government Of Porto Rico,
Mr. Davila declared.
Virgin Islands.
The move for larger share Of politi-
cal freedom is finding expression in an
other distant section of the globe over
which the Stars and Stripes are flying
for in the Nations newest possession
there are elements that desire an ad-
vance toward autonomy. A movement
is Afoot in the Virgin Islands. the small
group in the West Indies which Uncle
Sam acquired by purchase from Den.
mark in 1917, to have a resident COM
missioner represent the islands at the
Capital
The Philippine Islands have two resi-
dent commissioners and Porto Rico
has one. These men have right to
a seat on the floor OF the House oil
Representatives and can speak. but are
not permitted to vote. They have. how
ever. Offices and franking privileges as
have Representatives.
Canal Zone.
The Panama Canal Zone is not like
ly to figure in any discussions con-
corning prospective statehood This
strip of land, AZ miles long and 10
miles wide, on either side OF the canal
has population at present of 1868
and most of these are in the employ
of the Government. The zone Is a
Government reservation and there is
no private property there. with the
exception Of some businesses that are
an adjunct to the shipping business.
The President Of the United States is
directly in charge of the zone and has
delegated the details to the Secretary
the zone reports to the Secretary of
War. Congress alone enacts any needed
new legislation.
A retired naval officer is the governor
of the Island OF Guam in the mid
Pacific Ocean and regular service
captain is governor of American Samoa,
but in neither of these United States
possessions is there well-def1ncd
movement looking to statehood.
In the belief Of some observers, the
forty-ninth and succeeding States may
come into being out Of continental
United States itself.
States May BE Split.
Section 3 of Article 4 Of the Constitu-
ton of the United States says: New
States may be admitted by the Con-
gress into this Union: but no new State
shall be formed or erected within the
jurisdiction of any other State; nor any
state be formed by the junction of
two or more States. or parts Of States.
without the consent Of the Legislatures
Of the States concerned as we'll as OF
the Congress.
The Congress shall have power 10
dispose of and make all needful rules
ard regulations respecting the territory
or other property belonging to the
United States: and nothing in this Con-
stitution shall be so construed as to
prejudice any claims Of the United
States, or of any particular State"
The procedure for admission Of a
State into the Union Is for the State
to draw up constitution and submit
that to the Federal Congress. which
goes into the question of whether the
constitution was adopted by the people
Of the proposed State. Legislation af-
fectins territories or the admission Of
States, under. the rules Of the House