, 1955-08-16

was aggravated the inhabitants enjoyed a measure of
DEMOCRACY that was not common in the United States.
Regardless Of social position or state Of fermentation, togeth-
er, people freely worshpped God in the church of their
choice, attended the same public schools, frequented places
of amusement and did business with any firm serving the
public. The Individual was free to live in any section of the
towns, and parents who could afford it, sent their children
to the high schools, stated by English and Danish teachers
and comparable with the best on the mainland.
Danish governors were selected for >their competence
and cultural background n men who were loyal to their
king and country and could be trusted to maintain law and
order. They did not owe allegiance to political ward heelers
and dispensers Of spoils. If they had heard that ito the victor
belong the spols" they were not committed to it, for they
were devoted to HONOR and DUTY, and bre themselves
with dignity before all men. AS GOVERNORS, they set a
high standard Of conduct that pernaeated Throughout their
administration and among the people, even into the remote
sections of the islands. They went among the inhabitants,
in town and country districts, by foot or carriage without
thought of harm, and DOTTED their hats as elegantly to the
lloWly field laborer as to the more highly placed citizen Yes;
they exemplified that "impeccable" regard for "laW and
ethics about which President Eisenhower has reason to be
much concerned even while striving to bring peace and JUS
tie to all mankind, a program that appears to receive little
support from among his official family.
Lest it is not commonly known, it may be well to mem
ton that when the new Danish Constitution was enacted
on June 5, 1853, Greenland became an integral part Of Dem
mark thereby ABOLISHING colonialisn under the Danish
flag. 1t is easy to believe that, if the %exigencies Of war had
not decreed that Denmark should transfer the islands to the
OAAC@A 01SSI1 $1,000 - - ~~U @S-SS -N6N~
Danish Royal Household and among the leading politicians
by the 2. Hamilton Jackson Movement of 1915, they would
have shared substantially under the new Constitution.
But, it is now past mid hour Of the TWENTIETH CEN
iTURY. The U, S. Congress is adjourned. Alaska and Hawaii
are left to dream Of statehood. The flame of Democracy has !
been turned low in the American Virgin Islands and a blus-
tering, "straw-boss' builder of ~bridges-a professional ana
chorism least required in those islands-was arrayed with
powers Of q dictator and sent to play governor over q numer-
fcally weak and economically handicapped people, mostly
Negroes.
For more than two years the skies over Washington, DC.
have been emblazoned by Grimes of Politics. and SO the
thoughtful editor of TIME attracts the attention Of the
American people to "some stealing that had been going Or"
in their Caribbean coloniesg"the beautiful backward Vir-
gins" 1t is to be presumed, perhaps, that when Albert Bacon
Fall began his excursion to jail some time in the early thir-
ties, he had taken with. him the only vestige Of "spoils" to
leave the Interior Department. However, we are assured by
TIME that the concrete expert from Des Mones has "rat-
tied the islanders with straw-boss mannerisms, " but that
he twas making some progress All of which must make
f4 -. r-rr-