Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-12
PORTO RICO LABOR
FOUND IN DISTRESS
Poorly Fed, Sick Populace
Described in Catholic
Report.

A bleak picture of the conditions
under which the laboring class in Porto
Rico live is presented In a report by
the Committee on United States De-
Tendencies of the Catholic Association
for International Peace, which will be
ready for distribution tomorrow.
The report covers the social, economic
and political conditions on the island,
their bearing on the governmental
policy of the United States, and offers
complained of. including political griev-
ances, according to a digest furnished
at the headquarters of the association,
1872 Massachusetts, avenue.
Some of the abuses which the report
cites are:
Undernourished children, under 10
years Of age, are put to work in the
fields in the rush period as soon as
they can find employment, earning IS
cents or so day.
The men get 70 cents day, or 500
to 5000 for the years WORK.
Disease Prevalent.
Disease is prevalent, and there are
only from 500 to TOO beds available for
tuberculosis victims, in comparison to
10 times that number who need care.
'
when all are working, is cor1ee without
milk and often without sugar for break
fast, and for lunch and dinner, rice
and beans. or Goldfish, or plantains.
Charging that this country considers
the want and poverty of Porto Rico as
a secondary matter" the report adds:
when the United States has In the
course Of its growth acquired a posi-
ton of dominance over Porto Rico, 1t
Of hot
without full consideration for the. group
needs of the Porto Ricans. 1t must not
think that because country lacks eco
nomic power 10 control its own destinies
its human needs may be disregarded
with justice"
Political Grievance Recited.
The study gives a brief enumeration
OF the political grievances on the island,
among which are Cd many of the
major executive officials are American
and often "unsympathetic to as well
as ignorant of the Porto Ricans' stu
alton" 90 the election boards. which
have large powers over registration,
are not sufficiently checked from falsi-
the United States has power to annul
Porto Rican laws, etc, and 90 the
money power of the Porto Rican Legis-
lature Is considerably restricted.
The necessity of organizing reform,
either political or economic, sponsored
by political or economic organizations
among the men, is stressed; labor
groups, collective bargaining systems,
cooperative societies for buying and
selling, and organizations Of political
character for social and economic leg
1slation are described.
THE framing of program of diet
eticS," the report states, Ito meet con-
ditions of climatic. human. physical
needs and conditions of work will not
only be expensive. but will require earn
est attention, effort and patience. To
accomplish it will require reorganiza-
ton of transportation and distribution
of import and trade policies, change
in tariffs applicable to the island and
a larger family income among native
workers"
Four Solutions Given.
In enumerating the possible political
alternatives open to the United States
in determining it's future policy con-
corning Porto Rico, the study gives four
solutions which might be considered.
One would require the immediate and
full separation of Porto Rico from the
United States, the granting Of complete
independence The second is the sub
jugation of the island as Grown COL
ony." The third policy would mean
the full incorporation Of Porto Rico
into the United States as a territory
that might look forward to becoming a
State Of the United States" The fourth
possibility would be government
under American ownership.
In its conclusion the report declares
that change in Porto Rico can come
only If greater freedom is given the