Evening star., 1939-09-03
La1us Shackle Puerto Rico
Congress Alone Can Break Islands Economic Impasse

In the past, Puerto Rico has received
far less than its rightful share of Fed
eral appropriations for slum clearance.
work relief, highway construction and
similar purposes. During the last five
years, in fact, the island has received
less than one-third as much per capita
from the Federal funds as has been al /,
located to the average State in the
Union, and less per capita than any
State or any other territory. There has
been q tendency among the Federal
Government departments and independ-
ent agencies to assume that the Puerto
Rico Reconstruction Finance Adminis-
tration would care for all of Puerto
Rico's needs, yet funds made available
to that agency have been far less than
was originally anticipated.
No one believes, of course, that Con-
gress has neglected Puerto Ricos in
terests deliberately. The trouble is that
the Territory is relatively small part
Of the United States in which there are
so many other trying problems to be
considered. Until recently members of
Congress were not aware of the COM
bined effect of the legislation which has
depressed the islands entire economic
structure. Yet Puerto Rico is a part of
this country and, as such, is entitled
to adequate consideration when legisla-
ton is passed on.
Foreign Favors Penalize Isle.
The island surely deserves fully as
much help as any of the foreign coun-
tries to which the United States has been
so generous in trade concessions. In
deed, it is by favoring foreign countries
that Puerto Ricos interests have been
penalized most seriously. The island
does not, of course, criticize the general
policy of trade agreements. 1t objects
only to certain provisions which concern
Puerto Rico itself
Our sugar industry which is capable
of producing between 100000 and D.
100000 tons of sugar annually was
limited to production of only 845, 900
tons this year and has been compelled
to reduce its production more than
any other area producing sugar for the
domestic market, in order that foreign
countries might have larger quotas Yet
Puerto Rico is more dependent on sugar
for income and employment than any
OF the foreign countries involved There
would be no more effective way of put
ting thousands of the islands people to
work and building up Puerto Rico's
dwindling income than by permitting
IN of
it is able to produce economically.
The volume of our needlework in
dustry was reduced and sales of CO.
conut and pineapples have been re-
stricted as the result of trade agree
ments favoring foreign producers in for
eign countries at the expense Of the l.
5000 American citizens in Puerto Rico
The reciprocal trade program has been
beneficial to many sections of the United
States, and Puerto Rico, of course, ex-
pected to make her sacrifices for the
general good, but the combined effect
of the various treaties has been too
great.
A 6-Point Program.
In summary, Congress can go a long
way toward putting the island on its
feet by adopting this brief program in
Puerto Rico's behalf:
l. Increase the islands sugar quota in
order to furnish employment and income
for thousands of additional workers and
farmers who grow sugar cane.
2. Amend the Wage Hour Act to per-
NIT expansion of the handwork indus
tries
3. Modify reciprocal trade agreements
which favor foreign countries at Puerto
Rico's expense
l. Provide funds for settling thou
sands of people on farms and for grow
ing foods on idle lands.
S. Encourage the production of i'm
portant tropical products under the
American flag in Puerto Rico.
6 Provide more adequate steamship
service for the island
1t is notable that none of these pro-
posals in any way Injuries business in
the United States. Moreover, adding to
the territory's income reacts directly and
Immediately in favor of mainland busi-
ness because Puerto Rico buys here more
than two-thirds of all goods it con-
sumes each year, including more than
half of all the food eaten on the island
In spending nearly 100000 with
farmers and business men in the States
during the last fiscal year, Puerto Rico S
purchases here exceeded those of any
country in South or Central America.
The island is one Of the leading Gus
toners for pork, lard, wheat, flour, rice,
dairy products, leather shoes, wearing
apparel, and dozens of other COM
modities. Every dollar Puerto Rico re-
ceives from the sale of its own pro-
ducts in the States is re-spent here for
goods which the island itself cannot pro-
duce and for services such as interest,
insurance, steamship facilities, and so on
In short, Puerto Rico both needs and
fully deserves wholehearted, sympa-
thetic and immediate help from Con-
gress. The island is facing a difficult
future. 1t is necessary that Congress
view these problems realistically and lift
the islands people out Of the economic
predicament in which 1t inadvertently
has placed them and from which they
are powerless to escape by their own
ingenuity or effort.