Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-06
Virgin Islands as Poor House
Stir Sympathy of Country

President Hoover's reference to the
Virgin Islands as "a poorhouse," In
connection with his official visit, has
directed attention to the needs of
communities which came under Gov
eminent control through purchase
from Denmark for SIS, 100000. De-
Struction Of the rum trade by prohibi-
ton, misfortune in the bay rum in
dustry, wisdom of the purchase, I'M
mediate requirements and the obliga-
tons Of the United States are debated.
Mr.. Hoover ought to explain that
we did not buy poorhouse, we made
one" advises the Baltimore Evening
tains that having bought their home
and assumed authority over the people
with long look ahead to possible i'm
portance Of the islands as strategic
outpoStS, the obligation of the United
States Government to the $4,000 ma
tiveS is as great as, or greater than, 1t
is to the people of Ohio" The Roches-
ter Times Union remarks that "pur-
chase Of these islands was not the only
costly, and, as afterward proved, I'M
necessary, expenditure as war meas
ure; for example, consider the wooden
ships which never made voyage"
ton was desirable or undesirable, we
must fulfill our responsibilities, we are
obliged to do our best for these people"
says the Boston Transcript, while the
Charleston (W. Va Daily Mail re-
calls "a threat against the country" as
among "the possibilities during the
war;" and adds, Whether Germany
would have purchased the Islands If
we had not may be doubtful, but in
rryl1o n Au
arise, it Is best to take no chances"
X X
'"The SOS, 000, 900 paid for the islands
as an incident of the war;" thinks the
Des Moines Tribune-Capital, sis Moth
ing to gnash our teeth about. 1t will
not even hurt us much If we are obliged
to spend lot more money improving
conditions on the islands. We, in COM
mon with the people of other powerful
nations, talk so much about the services
we render and the burdens we assume
with respect to subject populations, yet
shoulder those burdens so cheerfully
when there Is an incidental profit in it,
that doing a little of that kind Of
burden-bearing without a profit may be
good for our souls Those things aside,
however, how refreshing it is to hear
a President say things vigorously. A
dozen or so demonstrations of RooSe-
VelClan or CleVelanulan GUINNESS may
not wholly counterbalance the loss of
popularity that Hoover unluckily suf-
fered because the economic deflation
happened to hit his administration, but
they will help Some-that is sure. The
people like their Presidents with fight
ing gumption and at least occasional
fortnight speech"
A statement by Maurice Francis Egan,
former Minister to Denmark, that when
we bought the islands, we acquired the
Gibraltar of the Caribbean" is quoted
by the st. Louis Post-Dispatch, with
the remark that "Uncle Sam did not
purchase them in haste, for negotia-
tons had been in progress since 1885,"
and that "all reports were favorable,
including such expressions as that Of
Senator Lodge, Important in time of
peace, such station would be essential
to our safety in time of war" That
paper also recalls that Denmark did
not rush eagerly to unload the islands,
for her Parliament once rejected the
American offer, and actual sale was
preceded by plebiScites in Denmark and
the colony" Senator Kenyon's COM
mittee is quoted to the effect that "the