Evening star., 1943-07-19
British West Indies
Watch Puerto Rico
For Hints on Future
BY the Associated Press


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico.-The ma
tive populations of the British ter
rltories in the Caribbean area are
watching Puerto Rico for an in
dlcatlon as to what they may ex-
pect from their own home govern
ment IN the way of greater auton-
omy.
Puerto Rico is to them the barom-
eter OF future American policy to-
ward the underdeveloped regions
OF the world. They deduce that
what America does for the Puerto
Rlcans, the British will do, or can
be persuaded to do, in their case.
Britain has already liberalized the
governments in Trinidad. Jamaica,
and Guiana, and residents of these
colonies wonder what they can get
next.
Many leaders in British colonies
as we'll as in Puerto Rico, especially
those who feel they have been
"exploited,' regarded the Atlantic
Charter and all its pledges, specific
or implied, with great seriousness.
They foresee an area of more self
determination, more equality for
colonial peoples.
In brief, the outstanding impress
sion from any journey into the
British colonies of this area, is that
the problem of Puerto Rico which
has plagued the United States for
more than 40 years, is no isolated
question. 1t is difficult for most
politicians in Puerto Rico to realiz.
this, but issues in Puerto Rico, from
a new world perspective, must be
decided in conjunction with issues
OF the entire Caribbean.
Many leaders in continental ter
rltorles feel that their future is
bound up with that of Jamaica.
Puerto Rico and the Antilles in gen.
eral. They can make a good case.
lhey contrast the crowded pop-
ulatlons and relatively meager food
production of the islands with their
own yawning interior, the fertile
jungle savannahs, and their ample
crops OF beans, rice and plantains,
which are staples for the islanders.
Ihey contrast the islands over
population and unemployed prob
lens with their own urgent need of
manpoWer for proper development
OF vacant lands and untouched re-
sources OF iron, bauXite, timber and
gold.
They point to the similarity of the
populations Of many of the islands
and IN the Guinas. In the Guinas.
the natives are mostly negroid,
mulatto, or Javanese or East In
dian. with some Chinese. The pop
ulation of Trinidad is largely COM
posed of just such elements. Most
OF the islands are inhabited by per-
sons OF Negro stock. In the Guianas
already there are many persons
whose families emigrated from Mar
Unique, Barbados, St. Lucia or
Jamaica.
The attitude of these leaders.
then, is that these islands and the
northern fringe of the South Ameri-
can continent have resources both
human and material, which are
complimentary.
Residents of these colonies have
hailed the advent of American bases
as good omen for their future de-
velopment, with the American and
British governments mixed up" as
Churchill said, in their relations for
many years, if not permanently.
They see in the American
Caribbean Commission a shape OF
the things to come, and they are
keeping an eve peeled to Puerto Rico
for other indications of their future
status. They note that a Puerto
Rican, Judge Martin Travieso, was
the only West Indian" to attain
membership on this join commits
sion, and they expect Puerto Rico
will lead them in their march to-
ward greater self government.