Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01
NAVY may ENDSTAY
IN VIRGIN ISLANDS
Civilian Status win Leave
Only Caretaker and Few
Radio Operators.

1t was indicated today that the naval
base at st. Thomas will be "laid up"
with only a caretaker and few radio
operators assigned to it, following
transfer Of the islands from naval to
civil administration.
It is considered one of the most
strategic naval bases for protection Of
the Panama Canal.
The Navy withdrawal, according to
high officers, followed dispute over
dividing administrative responsibility
with Herbert D. Brown, chief Of the
Bureau of Efficiency.
Before the post of civilian governor
was offered to DR.. Paul NJ. Pearson Of
Swarthmore, Pa, it was refused by
tendent of the Naval Academy, with
the observation that mo self-respecting
of1cer" would take the place under the
conditions imposed. President Hoover
Is said to have agreed with naval ON
GERS that 1t was useless to try to have
two governors.
Capt. Waldo Evans, present COVER
nor, had objected to sharing RESPONSE
biltty with another department OF the
tached.
For the first time since the islands
were bought from Denmark in 1917 for
| $25, 900 900, largely to prevent Ger
! many from acquiring them. they will
be without naval administration in less
than six months.
Replacement to Be Gradual.
Gradually, naval men will be replaced
| by civilian officers until some 300 Navy
men shall have been withdrawn.
1t was not until today that it became
apparent the Nays withdrawal was
| likely to mean the laying up of the
naval base as we'll Naval officers said
the extent to which the Navy would re-
tire was still a matter of conference,
but indications favor leaving only
the radio operatores and q caretaker. :
Brown of the Bureau Of Efficiency
said he would be the last to ask with
drawal from the naval base, now CEN
tered on an island in st. Thomas har-
Dor, and that he hoped the base would
remain in its present status, with dry
docks and repair facilities available.
The understanding in naval quarters,
meanwhile, was that even the mine
layer Grebe, which has been maintained
at the st. Thomas base, would be sent
elsewhere.
1t was pointed out, however, that the
laying up" of the st. Thomas base,
would by no means preclude its use in
time Of National emergency. The
bases, one each at Guam, Cavite, Sa-
moa, Honolulu, the Canal Zone and
Guantanamo
The trouble between the Navy and
the Bureau OF Efficiency, it transpires,
grew out OF an appropriation of SAL
900 for the government of the Virgin
Islands, which was made with Chair
man Burton L. French of the House
Naval Subcommittee on Appropria-
tons looking to its expenditure subject
to the approval Of Brown.
SeIf-SuppOrt Intended.
Brown, by congressional authorize
ton, had made an extensive inveStiga-
ton to put the islands on q Self-sup-
porting basis In the 10 years since
the United States acquired the islands,
the Government has spent $500, 900
to make up deficits in island revenues.
Meantime the islands had been steadily
losing. population, due partly to the
fact that prohibition killed the manu-
facture Of rum and partly that emf
grants have been going to Harlem in
a steady stream.
An unprecedented drought from
March to September Of last year re-
suited in the failure of the last of three
sugar companies. The present admin
istration had to resort to feeding the
population in some cases.
Brown developed several plans to try
to rehabKlitate the islands, including
diversiflcation Of agriculture and a
homeSteading arrangement.
Capt. Evans disagreed with Browns
plan. The issue was carried to the
Navy Department and thence to Presi-
dent Hoover. The circumstances under
which Congress made the appropria-
ton were considered to leave no al
Tentative but to go on with the dual
responsibility arrangement. Capt. Evans
finally refused to be responsible as
Governor so long as he was circum-
scribed by inability to make expendi-
lures from the $141. 900 appropriation
without the approval of another de-
partment. He requested several months
ago to be detached. BY the same token
Admiral Robson was able to decline.
Admiral Robson reaches the retirement
age of "a within few months.
When it was proposed that q civilian
administration be established the Navy
is said to have raised no objection, pro-
vided 1t were permitted to withdraw
all its activities from the island.
The Navy has a site for base on
the east end of Porto Rico, 80 miles
away, and on the island of Culebra,
which the United States holds.