Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-25
CHIEF
|. PORTO RICO ISSUE
Hoover Visit Draws Attention
to Perfect Political Re-
IatIons With U. S.
ny MARK SULLIVAN.


SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, March as
Porto Rico has q problem, and large
one, but it arises separately from the
relations between the island and the
United States. The problem, constantly
alluded to as such by members of the
Porto Rican government and by other
thoughtful Porto Ricans, Is overpopula.
ton. There Is comparatively little
thought that the American Government
can do anything about It. 1t Is not &
political problem, and the fact is that
practically no political problem does
exist in the relations between the island
and the American Government
In the scores OF prolonged converse
tions between of1icial Porto Racans and
the American visitors 1t Is doubtful II
the word independence has been men
toned once. A little more than three
years ago both houses Of the Porto
Rican Legislature passed q resolution
demanding independence. For the total
disappearance Of the idea there may be
many causes. Possibly one of the causes
Of the present American Governor,
Theodore Roosevelt. In any event, the
idea Of independence has utterly dis
appeared from serious public and private
discussion.
During President Hoover's 0O-miIe
ride across the island q little group Of
high school boys inean automobile drawn
up by the side of the road exuberantly
called out something about independ-
enee. They were 6 out Of the more
than 100 900 who cheered at the various
towns along the route.
Statehood Is Considered.
The idea Of independence does not
exist. A contrary idea-namely, state
hood--has some part, although very
minor one, In the conversation between
Porto Ricans and the American visitors.
Apparently the Democratic party eli
home has in its platform held out state
hood to Porto Rico. Some Porto Ricans
would like the Republican party TO Do
The idea Of statehood, however, had
little part in the reception Of the Amer
lean visitors. What Porto Rieans tall
about as their real problem Is over
population and the difficulties arising
from that condition. To put 1t more
accurately, Porto Rico has more people
than can be sustained. In the islands
present stage of economic development
there are some $40 persons to the square
mile, and that Is considerably more
than can subsist on normal agriculture
Agriculture, Is, one might almost say
practically the islands whole support
The bringing Of other industries Is thing
ardently hoped for and urgently needed
but likely to be long In coming about
Meantime the problem Is one which IL
lts nature intensifley and multiple:
itself. A Porto Rican ofacia1, In the
official ride across the island, pointet
again and again 10 the thousands o.
school children along the road, saying
with mixture Of affection and respon.
Sihility, their present Is our pride, but
their future Is our problem"
Porto Rico Is Q unique case of BIZ
Of land with definite physical bound.
aries and economic resources equally
definite and equally limited. On this
land are more people than the land car
support. 1t Is land Of early mar
quantities of happy and attractive chill
dren are q constant subject Of comment
by Porto Rfcans, to whom the little ones
are source at once Of pride and con-
Germ. To accommodate and support
this quantity Of population Is Porto
Rico's 1laany-sfded problem.
Excess Of Population.
So definite and concrete a case OF
excess of population in relation to re-
sources rarely appears in the world. In
the complexities that arise out of II
the United States Is under considerable
obligation to accept the responsibility
that goes with our benevolent guardians
ship.
Porto Rico, as q subject for atten-
ton OF American public opinion, is
only partly q matter Of government
and rather more 9, case calling for the
services Of American agencies for pr
vRte, organized benevolence. To meas
nVsa kNRS ada Aa@ d.
creased by 1000 per cent, nevertheless,
as of today, only about $4,000 pupils
are in school, as against 100000 chill
dren Of school age.
The evidence OF the need Of benevo-
lence are poignant. Although the
islands climate is exceptionally health
full, the island has the largest death
rate from tuberculosis on the Western
Hemisphere. Nearly . third OF the
population still suffer from hookworm,
although the experience of the Rookie
Teller health agencies In the United
States has demonstrated that hook
worm can be eradicated. With more
than $4,000 cases OF tuberculosis on
the island. there are only 400 hospital
beds for this disease.
Gov. Roosevelt has made himself not
cry o. Government executive, but more
q GnasS4unaxy Oe American INSTITUTIONS
for good hearth and other forms Of
heneNolence. H has enlisted the help
Of the American Child Health AeBocia-
ton, Golden Rule Foundation, the
Rockefeller Foundation and similar In
situations. Gov. Roosevelt functions
not only as a Governor, in the ordi-
nary sense Of the word, but even more
in terms of milk stations to feed babies,
providing lunches for school children.
vocational education, social centers and
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