Evening star., 1938-09-05
Defends American Rule
In Puerto Rico.

To the Editor Of the Star:
THE edition Of your daily Of August 81.
1898. carries letter by Alice Esteva
Williams pleading for understanding OF
the Puerto Rican people. The letter is
misleading because Of the insertion
therein Of an excerpt from an economc
report that leads the reader to believe
that the discussion deals with the eco
nomic problems OF Puerto Rico. How
ever, the writer ignores entirely such
discussion and without excusing herself
for Distressing from the economic view
outlined by her. proceeds to touch in a
slight manner on other subjects that are
purely local questions to be solved by the
Puerto Ricans themselves. Also. she
makes an uncalled-for criticism of the
United States for certain alleged fail
ures in the Americanization of the is
land and its people. This criticism is
wholly unwarranted.
Those Puerto Ricans now living in the
United States who have kept in close
contact with their native land and who
now and then 60 there for visit are in
a better position to appreciate the prog
ress, enlightenment. benefits and oppor-
tunities that the people of the island
have had under the rule Of the United
States. In education, methods OF doing
business, social reforms, labor, and, to a
great extent. in living standards, etc.,
We have followed the patterns OF the
United States and In many respects the
Puerto Ricans enjoy standards that are
far above those prevailing in many Sec
tions of some States OF the Union.
Therefore, it is unjust to cast aspersions
on the National Government and to ad-
vance the baseless charge that 1t has
failed to Americanize the Puerto Rlc.n
people. My honest belief is that the
Puerto Ricans have learned and alb
sorbed in a short time too many Amer1-
can principles and ideals. We have be-
come so Americanized that we no longer
observe our Spanish traditions; instead
we follow all American customs to the
extent that we appear ridiculous before
those who really know the American
traditions. There has been no failure
on the part of the National Government
to teach the people Of the island the en-
lightened principles of American Gov
ernment, all of which are embodied in
our Organic Act, which Is similar to the
Constitution of the United States, and
the knowledge Of which Is taught In the
public schools of the island.
Notwithstanding that degree Of prog
ress and enlightenment, we still find
some islanders who have acquired the
notion that they are competent to tell
the Government of the United States
where to get of. This Insignificant mi
nority does have the decency to appre-
ciate what has been done for and taught
to them. This is the same minority that
in the past few years has been COM
mitting the ruthless murder of honest,
decent and law abiding citizens who are
thankful for all the benefits and oppor-
tunities that they and their families
have had under the sovereignty Of the
United States. Only those who sympa-
thize with this minority oppose now the
restoration of the death penalty in
in our statute books. Prior to the aboli-
ton of the death penalty in Puerto Rico
the crime Of murder was very seldom
committed in the island. Since 1t abo-
lition in the year 1929 murder has in
creased in great proportions. For this
reason, believe that the restoration Of
the death penalty in our statute books
will have the effect Of restraint on all
those inclined to perpetrate murder as
q means to an end.
M. TORRES DE LA TORRE.