Evening star., 1949-05-29

AMONG kfsf kA9acSI E~SSssFs - h&sS
By means Of an tntst -gases'
known rs the Caribbean Cofnsn2s-
sion. the four great powers have
pooled some Of ,Aeg aess brains
In an attempt 70 improve the eco
nouaic and social well-hclrg @. the
9 ooo 900 inhabitants ot the scores
OF American islands, colonies and
territories over which they are
sovereign.
Started Durins War
The United SiAtes members q!
the commission have jus, held enc
of their periodic meetings IN
WashingtoA, They reported 10
and consulted with the President,
the state and Interior Depart"
ments. members Of Congress ard
other Federal ottieislS and seen-
c,es on new activities To be
launched al the next general ses-
sios, OF the full commission which
conyenes In the British island OF
Trinidad early IN June.
The Caribbean Commission
actually came into being In lsss
In the darkest days OF Hitler 5
submarine campaign in the At
iantic. as the Anglo American
Caribbean Commission, In that
critical year the United States and
Great Britain alone moniisEeo
ships. food and defense supplies
and prevented these islands and
possessions from being invaded by
Axis enemies and their citizens
from starving TO death, Ihls
spectacular. feat met with sllsi
unusual enthusiasm both In ka-
rope and the Americas that In 1916
France and the Netherlands joined
Fundamentally with Britain ana
this country in concentrating the
forces OF all four Of the Caribbean
colonial empires.
The commission has no eAeeu-
tive or political powers, 1t Is only
an advisory body. Yet In seven
short years II has done more to
bring new hope and the promise
OF an improved environment ana
standard of living 10 the eongloin-
crate mass of people Of the ID dit"
ferent colonial groups OF terri
tories here to the south OF Us than
has been accomplished In the
hundreds of years since they were
settled.
It has instituted plans to break
down tariff barriers between the
islands and promote interislano
trade. II Is carrying on a cam
paign TO introduce new crops ana
new agricultural methods. develop
new sources OF food supplies such
as fisheries. dairying and small
industry. improve sanitation and
health conditions and expand
tourist travel and hotel facilities
so as 10 bring in more extra dol
lars and foreign exchange,
Similar to u. n.
The framework Of the Cario-
bean Commission Is very similar
TO the United Nations. In fact,
the entire setup might well have
been the pattern for the world
body itself, for 1t was actually In
operation before the Charter Of
the United Nations was written
at Sal, Francisco. The oraaniza-
ton is divided into three main d.
visions. a general secretariat. with
headquarters In Trinidad: a com
mission and q conference. the
secretariat. or administrative body
In addition TO directing all the &C
tiyities. has q permanent research
staff OF techniclans who gather
information and facts about crops.
soil. natural resources. industry,
buying power. wages and every
phase Of economic and social life
throughout the area,
The commission. composed of
four representatives Of each OF
the four governments who direct
the overall policies OF the organ
ization and who meet twice . year.
corresponds TO the Security
Council. The West Indian Con-
ference. made up Of delegates OF
the various individual territories.
Is q regional counterpart Of the
General Assembly and meets every
two years for open discussion and
debate on the needs and desires OF
the peoples.
One OF the most striking ae-
compiishments Of the commission
30 far Is the fact that Ia has
made the islands and peoples
conscious OF one another. For
hundreds OF years citizens of the
Dutch colony OF Curacao have
known little or nothing about
their neighbors In the British or
French territories and vice versa.
Many Of the British possessions
not only maintain their own tari1
walls against one another. but
even have different kinds OF cur
rencies Trinidad dollars can't b.
passed OF In nearby Barbados nor
Jamaica pounds used anywhere
else except In Jamaica.
Shipping Question
The commission nor publishes
q monthly magazine In four edi-
tsons--French. Dutch. Spanish and
English--the four different Ian
guages spoken In the Caribbean.
telling OF the social activities as
well as the economic and scientific
Developments In each Of the h.
lands and territories. and dis
tributes II 10 NIL Of them. II hss
Instituted radio broadcasts In the
four languages. giving the day-to-
day news high iiehts Of What Ia
gotnR on al over the ayea.
Al the merit regular meeting cf
the commission plans win b In
ssituted 10 expand and create
better shippinx facilities between
the different colonies, Possibilities
xegs also discussed In Washington
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