The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-08-20
u. S. COLONIAL
DIVISION NOW
IN OPERATION
Dr.. Gruening, Bureaus
Head. Is Confronted with
PerpleXing Issues.
BY WILLIAM PHILLIP SIMMS
scrinps-HoVsrd Foreign Editor

HfffHrH-nNNt Fo forfAEn fliAHr
WASHINGTON. Aug 2O.-with-
out flourish or fanfare. a brand new
division Of the United States gov
eminent. destined 70 BE- Of the
most important Of them all, is IN
operation here today.
Il is the division Of territories
and island possession. Upon IL will
depend the fortune OF four Of the
most crucial areas under the Amer
lean faE-HaWaii, Alaska. Puerto
Rico. and the Virgin Islands.
The government nowhere faces a
more complex or a more difficult
problem than looking after these
possessions. And no one knows this
more thoroughly than the man who
has Just been appointed TO head the
division. Dr.. Ernest Henry Gruen-
ing. editor and author.
France. England and other for
eign countries have a minister of
colonies. Uncle Sam has no colonies
and therefore no colonial secretary.
But DR.. Gruening's job. neverthe-
less. is OF cabinet size. Technically,
he is chief Of a division Of the de-
partment Of interior.
A bitter feud is on between Ha-
waii and the United States over the
kind Of government Hawaii should
have and what the nature of the
relations the islands and the main
land shall be-state or territory.
Unrest Sweeps Country
Puerto Rico. with nearly 500 in
habitants 10 the square mile and
still growing. is in a state of dan
Eerous unrest. Many want indepen-
dence. some want statehood. and all
insist upon immediate action by the
United States TO relieve an exceed
incly bad economic situation.
TIE Virgin Islands. characterized
by former President Hoover as one
big pOorhOuse. offers similar eco
nomlc problems but altogether diff
ferent political ones.
Alaska. with nearly $4,000 inhsbi-
miles. unlike Puerto Rice. is almost
d~pOpulated. Its white population is
about n 10 each twenty square
miles. Including ESkimOs and
others, there are some 10000 inhabi-
tants, or approximately one for
every ten square miles.
Hawaii and Alaska have become
Of vital Importance to the national
defense. With them in the hands of
a hostile power. the whole Pacific
coast would be in grave danger.
Unless the natives of Puerto Rico
and the Virgin islands find we'll
being and reasonable contentment
under the Stars and Stripes. the
prestige Of the United States will
suffer seriously throughout Latin
America President R~oOsevelt's
good neighbor" policy will be
jeOpardized.
Hawaii has about 100000 inhabi-
tants. OF these. only about 10000
are American and European stock.
The rest are Orientals. Nearly so
per cent are Japaneses.
See Peril in Situation
Many see peril in this situation.
These oppose statehood. Soon. they
assert, the japanese would be in
control Of the government. Because
of our naval and military bases
there. they claim Hawaii is to the
United StaeS what Singapore is to
the British. They believe the islands
should be declared a federal reserve.
governed from Washington.
Puerto RicanS are hostile to being
governed by Washington appointees.
They desire at least a Governor
chosen from among themselves.
They want home rule. if not COM
plete independence. The life Of
Governor Gore vas threatened be
fore he resigned and made way for
the present Governor WinShip.
The Virgin Islands. bought from
Denmark during the World war,
practically we're beggared by the
eighteenth amendment. Their prin-
Cipal trade was in rum. The
pOvertv-Stricken natives are calling
for help.
DR.. Gruening has his hands full.
But he is no mere political ap-
pOintee. He Joins the administration
for what he knows. and what he
knows he learned on the spot. by
personal investigation. He has lived
IN SpaniSh-speaking countries. And
this should be specially noted
he speaks Spanish.