Evening star., 1939-01-29
Puerto Rico's Labor Achieves
Rank as Latin American Model
Resident Commissioner Iglesias Cites Role of
Working Glasses in Lifting Standards
Toward Economic Ideals
By Santiago IgIesias,
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico.

Resident Commiss
Puerto Rico seems destined to become
a cultural meeting place for the Amer
icas, role for which it is ideally suited
because of its location midway between
North and South America and because
1t still retains the Spanish language and
Latin American traditions to a consid-
cradle extent, at the same time being
Territory of the United States in which
many of the institutions and ideals of
this country have been adopted.
The Interdepartmental Committee for
the Improvement of Cultural Relations,
In report issued by its chairman,
Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles,
recommended Puerto Rico for this i'm
portant function in the promotion of
the good neighbor policy and stressed
the contributions which Puerto Rico
could extend along cultural and agri-
cultural lines. But in addition, our
island can accomplish fully as much to-
ward improving the welfare of the labor
ing classes in the Central and South
American republics.
Not many people in the United States
and few of my colleagues in Congress
realize the tremendous strides which
labor has made in Puerto Rico during
the 40 years our Territory has been under
the American flag. This may sound
strange, in view of the frequent atten-
ton which has been called to our un-
employment problem, but even though
more than one-third of our workers are
without employment, labor as whole
Is In far better position in Puerto Rico,
from many standpoints, than in any of
the neighboring Latin American coun-
tries.
Represented in Government.
Perhaps the best proof of labors at
tainments in Puerto Rico is shown by the
extent to which our Labor party is repre-
sented in the islands government. The
insular treasurer is member of our
party. Another member of the Gov
ernor's Executive Committee, the COM
sioner of labor, is a representative of
the workingman's party. Several men,
bers of the Supreme Court of Puerto
Rico are warm friends of labor. In the
Puerto Rican Legislature nine of the
10 Senators and Is of the IS Representa-
tives come from the ranks of labor and
I. Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
in the United States Congress, have the
honor to be president of the Labor party.
The prominent part which labor plays
in the administration of the islands
affairs cannot fail to impress representa-
tives of the various Latin American
countries who already visit us in large
numbers to study our various institu-
tions and who will be coming more fire.
quently when the program for improve
ment of cultural relations gets under
way. And they will be further impressed
by the democratic privileges which labor
enjoys in Puerto Rico and by the pro-
gressive legislation which the island has
adopted in favor of the workingman.
Forty years ago. when the American
troops under Gen. Nelson H. Miles first
landed in Puerto Rico, I, leader of
organized labor, was in Jail for having
advocated privileges which today are
enjoyed by every Puerto Rican and every
other American citizen-the rights to
strike and to bargain collectively. Since
my ideas were somewhat ahead of the
times, again was imprisoned a few
years later, but was released following
an investigation by President Theodore
Roosevelt and the American Federation
of Labor, which established forever the
right of the workers in Puerto Rico to
organize for the betterment of their
conditions.
Freedom Principles Reign.
Today we enjoy every one of the privi-
leges of democracy. Freedom of speech
exists Just as truly in Puerto Rico as in
any State of the Nation. Our people
enjoy to the fullest extent freedom of
the press, freedom of public assembly
and freedom Of worship. These privi-
leges, Of course, are taken for granted
by the people of the United States, but
remember that Puerto Rico is Latin
American island, with a 400-year back
ground OF Spanish tradition, tempera-
ment and ideals. 1t Is my belief that,
when hundreds of visitors from Central
and South American republics observe
the principles of true democracy work.
ing 80 smoothly and effectively among
people almost Identical with their own
V~ASs WaA icduIc tfldt laDOr III t1elr own
countries can and should enjoy the same
privileges.
AS Tor labor legislation, continental
labor leaders have been surprised to
learn that Puerto Rico has stepped out
ahead of many of the 4s States For one
thing, we have child labor law which
is strictly enforced. Our great sugar in
dustry, which accounts directly or indi-
rectly for two-thirds of the Jobs in
Puerto Rico, employs no children except
perhaps. on few of the small privately
owned sugar farms, and only a handful
OF women. Puerto Rico also has work.
mems compensation law which is held
up as model for many of the States
and is unique in that it covers agricul-
turai workers as well as factory en-
ployes.
Wages in our leading industries are
now determined through collective bar.