The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-01-05

or the one commonly ClteQ) III
which he is said TO have des-
cribed Puerto Rico as white
elephant which the United
States should drop for its own
good.
Observers guess that If indie
pendence, or statehood, or a
choice, were offered TO Puerto
Rico by plebiscite, the decision
would depend upon the attitude
of whatever politicians happen
ed to be In favor. They do not
believe most voters care much
either way.
Luis Munoz Marin current
leader, stands for independence.
But it is suggested that -he,- like
others who have made similar
demands, would run like a
rabbit" il he we're offered what
he seeks.
DEPEND ON u. S. AID
Meanwhile, even those who
claim to want independence are
offended at having a governor
who considers Puerto Rico I'M
desirable.
The average informed island
er realizes that, for years to
come, only preferential econom-
ic arrangements with the United
States can save their economy
from complete breakdown; that
such preference is unlikely in
the event of independence; and
that only large Federal subsidies
can avert quick starvation un-
til some means of domestic self
support has been established.
On a dollars and cents basis,
unquestionably Puerto Rico is a
liability to the Federal treasury.
But this war has taught that
some things cannot be judged
purely by fiscal bookkeeping re-
suits.
The island is called the Gil
braltar of the Caribbean because
it dominates the eastern ap-
proaches to the Panama Canal
almost as Gibraltar does the en-
trance to the Mediterranean AL
so because it is indescribably
because of censorship power
full militarily.
Its location resembles that of
the hub of wheel-1000 miles
from Miami or the Canal, 700
from Bermuda, 500 from Cara
cas- on the South American
mainland, $50 from Trinidad.
1t controls Mona Passage, nat
ural approach from northern
Europe to the Panama Canal. A
layman would say that no en-
envy ship could approach the Ca
nal from that direction against
the will of a strong air force bas-
ed on Puerto Rico-and it is
published fact that both the
Army and the Navy have recog-
nized this and acted on it.
Only by surprise improba-
BILE since Pearl Harbor could a
Nazi carrier get close enough to
loose a swarm of bombers
against the canal, so long as we
control and utilize Puerto Rico.
OF all important defensive
bases in the Caribbean, this is
the only one which is all-Ameri-
can, regardless of how interna-
tional alliances might be reshuf-
fled at some future time.
These considerations tend to
make the pure dollars-and-cents
viewpoint seem mercenary and
academic, and they lead critics
to brand Governor Tugwell as
shortsighted.
They suggest that the rehabil-
itation of Puerto Rico, at what
ever cost may be required, has
implications more than chart
table; that probably our military
men will oppose any suggestion
that the island be cast off; and
that while Puerto Rico remains
part of the United States, we
cannot afford to permit either
human misery or resentment
against an individual to breed
ill will among her citizenry.
The continental American can.
continental American cannot
not help wondering why Carib'
bean island blessed with the
equable climate and scenic at
fractions of Puerto Rico need bs
so impoverished.