Evening star., 1942-05-06
Trinidad Defenders
OF Three Nationa|itie!
Closely |ntegrated
Maj. Gen. n. c. Profit
Pleased by Relations
With Dutch and British
BY WARD MOREHOUSE,

Dy w h1tD
Foreign Correspondent of The Star and
North American Newspaper Alliance.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, May
6.-The Trinidad sector, consisting
of Trinidad, British and Dutch Gui-
ana, st. Lucia, Curacao and Aruba,
now presents the dramatic spectacle
of American, British and Dutch
forces-air, ground and naval-in-
tegrated for defense. In the words
Of Maj. Gen. Henry Conger Pratt,
commanding general in the sector,
the plan seems to be working out
splendidly."
The sector is quiet now. Perhaps
1t will remain so for some time to
come. But military men here take
the view that once war breaks out
off the corner of the continent and
a stepping stone to the islands OF
the Caribbean chain, will become
the hot spot of the entire area.
You now behold this tropical
island, which has the shape of an
pxhide, bristling with war prepara-
tions. In bygone years the colony's
big town was drowsy, but now that
drowsiness has vanished. There are
troops in the streets, the stores. in
the cafes and bars. You'll still find
East Indian venders crying their
wares from the sidewalks and burro-
drawn carts stalled in the traffic,
but alongside the two wheeled cart
there will be a painting United
States jeep.
Here in Trinidad proper all fami-
lies of the military personnel have
been evacuated; only the wives Of
members of the construction forces
remain. Here there are native SOL
diers in untold number, British and
American. And the military boss
is Gen. Pratt.
Pleased With Cooperation.
The general has his headquarters
in White Hail. a big, rambling, white
succeed house on Maraval road.
The house, leased by the United
States, was formerly the home Of
a commission merchant. There was
a sentry from Indiana at the gate,
a corporal from Texas inside the
main entrance and Maj. Grom,
Great Neck, Long Island, at the
public relations desk as I called to
see the general.
II won't sit at my desk" said
Gen. Pratt as 1 entered his up
81 ~ oRRooe fpvy,o al
Well come over here to this
table, where we can talk better.
Well, how do you like the
tropics and what do you want to
know?"
The general, under my interroga-
ton, said:
This is British territory. We are
using some terrain under the 90
year base lease agreement and other
terrain which we've leased for the
duration or for a number of years
What else? I put myself in
your hands"
How has the coming Of American
troops to the Trinidad sector been
received?
"Splendidly. Difficulties do come
up, but I think things between us
and the British are working out
splendidly. It's my policy to try to
get results by cooperation rather
than by order. There is a fine
relation between the British and
the Americans. AS for myself, I
entertain them and they entertain
me. = Yes, things are much bet
ter than I might have anticipated"
Troops Welcome.
The general said he feels the COM
ing of United States troops was
welcomed by both the general pub
lie of Trinidad and the authorities.
He said that all problems that have
arisen since his arrival several
months ago have been settled
amicably. He admits that it is his
belief that Trinidad may we'll be-
come hot spot because of its prox-
unity to the Caribbean islands and
defenses and its comparative near
ness to the Panama Canal. But
hope not" he adds quickly.
Gen. Pratt, born in New Mexico,
West Point '04, was in command
Of the Sd Corps Area with head
quarters in Baltimore when he was
ordered south to take command of
the Trinidad sector and base COM
mand, territory extending to Para
maribo and the Surinam on the
south, ST. Lucia on the east and
Curacao and Aruba on the west
He has had two tours Of duty in
the Philippines and two tours in the
Hawaiian Islands, and my mention
of Hawaii sidetracked us from Trini-
dad for the moment. It's his feel
ing that the place in which a mill
tary man has last served is the spot
that comes first in his affections
for the time being
He smiled and went on: when
was first ordered to Dayton, Ohio
with the Air Corps my wife thought
1t dreadful idea and wondered if
I couldn't enter a request for duty
elsewhere OF course, I made nc
such request. But when it came
time for us to leave Dayton Mrs
Pratt didn't want to go at all.
It's often like that orce tbo,pht