Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-10
PORTO RICO FAVOR
IS WON BY HOOVER
President Acts to Restore
San Juan Garden Spot
to Island.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Hoover has unobtrusively
but signally ingratiated himself with
the people of Porto Rico by conveying
to them the title to their most cherished
piece of property-the historic San
Geronimo military reservation. 1t is
located in the heart of the island
capital, San Juan, and for several years
has been the storm center of legal en-
tanglements over what the Porto Ricans
call their Teapot Dome"
The San Geronimo affair got that
name from the fact that the land and
ancient buildings standing upon 1t were
turned T noe over by the Navy Department on
naval offlcer, Lieut.. Comdr. Virgil
Baker, without substantial consideration.
Lease Signed in 1921.
The "l0-century lease" was signed by
Col. Theodore Roosevelt (who has just
assumed ONCE as governor of Porto
Rico) in 1921 while he was acting
Secretary of the Navy at Washington.
San Geronimo having once been under.
War Department control, the military
authorities took legal steps to dispoSseSs
Baker, who lives on the place. They
asked the Federal courts to annul his
"fraudulently procured" lease, but early
this year, after several years of litiga-
tion in the lower courts, the United
States Supreme Court validated the
Roosevelt Baker transaction. 1t found
that the lease had been granted under
a proper act of Congress.
President Hoover has now issued
proclamation which, while leaving Lieut..
Comdr. Baker undisturbed in tenancy
of San Geronimo, restores formal own
ship of the property to "the people OF
Porto Rico"
Eminent Ownership.
They. instead of the United States
Government. will hold the right of
eminent domain over it, Henceforward,
1t comes under the Porto Rican tax
alton system and under all other forms
Of control and supervision to which is
land lands are subject. The Hoover
proclamation was forthcoming under
the organic act by which Porto Rico's
government is maintained The act
clothes the President of the United
States with authority from time to
time, in his discretion. to convey to the
people OF Porto Rico such lands, build
1ngs or interests in lands or other
property now owned by the United
States and within the territorial limits
OF Porto Rico, as in his opinion are no
longer needed for purposes Of the
United States" Five acres Of the San
Geronimo property are reserved for
Navy wireless station needs.
Just before proceeding to San Juan
at the end of September, Gov. Roosevelt
declared his purpose of doing what lies
In his power to see San Geronimo re-
stored IN fact, as we'll as In title, to
the Porto Rican people.
Source Of Annoyance.
The reservations private possession
by Baker has bitterly riled them. A
distinguished Porto Rican stationed in
washington once told this writer that
the 999-year lease of San Geronimo
irritates his countrymen as IT. would
excite Americans to wake up some
morning and find that the White
House had been handed over to an oil
magnate for private residence on a
lease for thousand years"
The War Department fought the
Navy's lease to Baker tooth and nail.
It's briefs in the Porto Rican and Mas
sachusetts appellate branch of the Fed
eral Courts assailed the deal in sizzling
terms as Illicit and fraudulent. The
Porto Rican court invalidated the lease,
but the Federal appeals tribunal at
Boston reversed that finding Finally
the supreme Court upheld the legality
OF the lease Ca the ground that it had
been granted under a specific act of
Congress. The War Department siIg-
eested that Congress acted under un-
due influence and without full knowl-
edge.
Representative w. Frank James of
Michigan, chairman of the House mill
tary affairs committee, has bills pend
ing In Congress, providing for purchase
or condemnation Of San Geronimo and
Lieut.. Comdr. Bakers eventual eviction
from the reservation. Presumably
President Hoover's proclamation OBJ
viates the necessity of such legislation.
San Geronimo is worth upward of
$50O,000. 1t comprises some Is odd
acres beautifully situated on the San
Juan water frort. Its traditions stretch
back to ancient Spanish times and the
site is hallowed in Porto Rican sefti-
ment. Baker is said to have got it
for song"
tCopyrisht. 1927