Evening star., 1939-04-30
Puerto Rico, Pinched by US
Trade Curbs, Increases Protests
Troubled Island Sees Revenue Fading as Economic
Policy Continues to Build Up Larger
Army of Unemployed,
By Eueren B. WHson
By Ererett B. Wilson.

100000 in income and another increase
in unemployment.
These developments are the basis for
Puerto Rico's protests. So great is their
total significance that for the first time
in history practically every one on the
island is working together on one pro-
gram. The Chamber of Commerce in
San Juan invited representatives of 10
business and civic organizations to an
economic congress which in a 12-hour
session passed resolutions asking Con-
gress and the President to remove the
handicaps placed on the island by the
Federal Government, and asked that q
plebiscite be held to determine the
islands future relations with the United
States.
Many Envision Statehood.
The latter resolution was passed en-
Enthusiastically. OF those who voted for
it, some few desire independence, pro-
claiming that any status would be better
than the one now endured. The great
majority of the people, however, well
coined the Idea because it would give
the island chance to demonstrate con-
clusively what is believed to be an over
whelming desire for permanent union
with the States and for eventual state
hood. Many Puerto Ricans feel that the
propaganda for independence, conducted
by minority, may have weakened the
Islands position with Congress by fos-
tering the idea that Puerto Rico wanted
to become separated, so why worry much
about it.
Though the protests, in many In
stances, have ben phrased in strong
language and various spokesmen have
accused the Government of discrimi-
mating against Puerto Rico, the island
realizes that Washington has not mali
ciously placed it in its present plight.
What has happened, they recognize is
that the territory has been given tnsuffi-
c1ent consideration in the affairs Of the
country. Having less than 2 per cent of
the total population of the United States,
Puerto Rico's problems and needs have
been overshadowed by the greater over
all problems of the Nation.
In addition, it unfortunately is true
that many members of Congress are
only dimly aware Of the island and know
little about its economic and social
handlcaps. 1t has no representative of
any kind In the Senate and the only one
in the House, the Resident Commissioner
has no vote. Various members Of Con-
gress, including members OF the commit
tees dealing with insular affairs have
taken an interest in Puerto Rico, but the
Island has had to be dependent on SYM
pathy and sentiment since it has no
political strength
Fear for Living Standards.
What Puerto Rico really is seeking
aside from removal of the present trade
restraints, Is assurance that its needs
will be given more careful attention ii.
the future in connection with legislation
and trade treaties. Burdened with over
population and limited natural resources,
the people have found they cannot main
tain present living standards if their few
existing industries are to be restricted by
the Federal Government.
Aeao'o elc 1oldilu IldS virtually no
raw materials and no fuel supply, and
because of its climate and its distance
from mainland markets, there are few
opportunities for building up large new
industries to provide income and en-
ployhent to make up for the decline in
the existing industries. There are few
promising possibilities, such as the grow
ing of vanilla and quinine, toy manu-
facture, and so on, but none of those
seems likely to contribute generously to
the islands well-being The tourist bulsi-
ness also seems destined to increase
insular income gradually, rather than
quickly.
Thus, when thousands Of people are
thrown out of work in sugar or coffee
or tobacco or needlework there is no
place they can turn to find new Jobs.
Tobacco, coffee and grapefruit are not
handicapped by Federal restriction, but
are depressed because of overproduction
and consequent low market prices, and
there is no prospect of improvement in
any OF those industries. Sugar, needle
work and pineapples, which between
them brought the island an income of
$92, ,663 900 in the fiscal year 1867 and
accounted for 50 per cent of Puerto Ricos
income, last year had dwindled to S71,-
656,00O, decrease of % per cent. Per-
mitting the island to produce all the
sugar it can grow economically, remov-
ing the needlework restrictions and re-
storing the pineapple tariff to its former
level would mean an additional $685.
100000 to s45,0OO,O00 in income and pro-
vide 100000 additional jobs.
The people of the island are hopeful
that Congress will receive their requests
sympathetically and are prepared to
keep up the battle until they win, but
they fear that the increase in unem-
ployment which will come this summer,
when the sugar mills stop grinding and
the needlework industry levels off, may
bring serious distress.
Defense Plans May Prove Boon.
They are, however, encouraged by one
important development-the new ma
tional defense program. Puerto Rico
is scheduled to have $4,000 900 naval
air base, and may also have submarine
base. In addition, there is good chance
that the War Department will spend a
considerable amount of money building
landing fields for Army planes, for bar
racks and for other facilities.
Removing restrictions from needle
work, sugar and pineapples would make
a fine start on program to help the
island, but would by no means solve
the unemployment problem entirely