Evening star., 1945-05-19

decide in a free election or plebi.
scite what their future status shall
be. whether it shall be independence
American statehood or dominion
Presenting it was joint commits.
sion of the Puerto Rican legisla-
ture, representing all politica.
parties and headed by Luis Munoz
Marin, president of the Insular Sen
ate and leader Of the majority
party.
Discussion Declined.
The members of the commission
in testifying before the Senate COM
mittee declined to discuss, in their
official capacity, the Tydings inde-
pendence bill, explaining their in
structions limited them to the ex-
PLANTATION of Puerto Ricos economic
needs. Speaking personally, all in
dicated fear that the Tydings bill,
in its present form, would give them
independence at the expense of
economic ruin. This because it
provides for the end of Puerto Rico's
favored trade relationship within a
very few years.
Asked by Tydings to submit in
writing any amendments to his bill
they wished to have considered, the
Puerto Ricans went into hard and
fast huddle that lasted several days.
They came out of it with a bill that
Is one of the most impressive docu-
ments ever submitted to Congress
In effect it contains three complete
charters of government, to be sub
mitted to the voters Of Puerto Rico
If the majority of the voters
should declare for independence, the
legislature would be required to call
a constitutional convention to draft
a constitution. This constitution
would have to be ratified by the peo-
pie and accepted by the United States
Congress. If the voters declare for
statehood they would do so with a
clear understanding of what it
means to be one of the United
States, for the bill contains all the
terms and conditions under which
other territories have become states,
including provision for a state con-
stitution which conforms to the
United States Constitution and must
be ratified by Congress. And If they
choose to become a dominion they
will vote themselves into that status,
one comparable to that of Canada in
the British Commonwealth.
In other words, the proposed pleb-
iscite would not be merely an ex-
preston of opinion or a Gallup poll.
1t would vote Puerto Rico's new
status into existence, binding not
only the people of Puerto Rico, but
the United States Congress to &C.
cept it.
OF the three plans the one be-
neved least likely to be favored by
the Puerto Ricans is statehood, since
the special economic assistance now
given to that poverty stricken land
would automatically cease should it
become the 49th State in the Union.
Complete independence is attrac-
tive, but not in the sink-o swim
form provided by the Tydings bill.
The plebiscite bill therefore proposes
continuing assistance, on dimin-
ishing scale. in case independence
is chosen.
Greatest Appeal.
The dominion status probably has
the greatest appeal to the majority
party In Puerto Rico, although none
OF the authors Of the plebiscite bill
would express himself on that sub
Ject while in Washington, all hav-
ing been bound by the island legis-
lature to do no more than present
the plebiscite proposal, with its
three alternatives, to Congress. As
a dominion Puerto Rico would have
absolute home rule, but that would
not bar necessary economic assist
ance.
Hearings on the plebiscite bill
introduced as Senate 1002-probably
will not begin in the Senate COM
mittee until Chairman Tydings' re-
turn from the Phi1innfy,ec h,,t ;,