Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-05

raised with reference to the Bahamas
and Bermuda, the people never seem to
have taken the prospect with much Sc
robustness.
Reports from Jamaica are to the eff
feet that the people are divided into
three camps. There is an upper class
consisting of a sort of colonial aristoc-
racy dating from the early days Of oc-
cupation intermixed with the officials
representing Great Britain and their
families. There has been considerable
1ntermarriage among these and, living
in a rather old-fashioned island do
main, they have constituted a definitely
demarked upper class. Oddly enough,
1t Is this class which is Indifferent on
the subject of ceSsion for the most part.
Some officialS who would likely lose
their jobs in such an event are naturally
| opposed and some, members of old
J families who feel they might lose some
measure OF their island prestige do not
approve, but as a general class they are
reported Indifferent.
! Would Raise Standard Of Living.
The middle class made. UP in large
| part OF Storekeepers, professional men
in small way, and small planters, Is
very definitely and outspokenly opposed
to cession to the United States. This
is believed due to the fact that they
have built up small businesses, acquired
! professional clienteles or have bought
property. They feel a special loyalty to
the government which has contributed
to their well-being.
| With equal positiveness the lower,
working class Is strongly in favor of
! changing to American sovereignty.
These include large numbers of the
class of light-skinned Negroes who have.
in the last few years. gone to New York
I n 0rrn l.. Il. A..
gain economically 1t Is quite q step up
ward for a jamaican worker who has
been living in slum section and earn
| ing rs cents a day to the delights of
Harlem and wage of $40 a week or
more as an elevator operator, doorman
or possibly a chauffeur or valet.
There are, of course, members of
each Of these three classes from the So
cial and economic point OF view who
/ join with the ceSsion movement. It is
! recognized that Jamaica is very greatly
undercap1talized. A large proportion of
the land is uncultivated and it is be-
lieved that were a change of ownership;
effected. 1t would mean a substantial
pouring OF American money into the
island. Development would increase the
value OF the plantations and would pro-
vide more work at higher wages. Ameri-
can living standards would be intro
duced
On another hand, some Negro leaders
object that persons from the Southern
States would be most likely to come to
Jamaica and this would mean irnposi-
ton Of race hatred and the institution
OF lynching and. in general, loss Of the
privileges which Jamaica Negroes have
peculiarly enjoyed. There are many
now holding jobs as civil servants and
they fear loss of these.
The other islands of Bermuda and
Bahama seem not to be so exercised over
a change in sovereignty. A reason may
be found in the fact that they have en-
| 1oyed a great American tourist trade
from the United States and, the Ba-
hamas especially. have reaped a rich
harvest from liquor smuggling. It is
| doubtful whether any investment of
American capital which might follow
acquisition would exceed the sums an
nually spent there by American tourists.
In colonial days Bermuda was Q part
OF Virginia. being disposed of by the
Virginia Company.
Should the West Indian naval bases
be dismantled. the local attitude might
be stronger in favor of Joining the
United States. At any rate. the topic is
Of that recurrent type which can be
depended upon periodically to be agi-
| tated.