, 1957-12-11
THE ST. cRoIx AVIS

U1lHhCly I1dG IL A6A AASSANNNN
gin Islands Practice, it would have ahirmatively author1z-
ed the new Legislature to conduct Investigations without
qualifying statement of the intended time limitation.
Still another consideration seems relevant. The whole
course of national legislation with reference to Territories
and possessions of the United States has been IN the dlrec-
ton of greater self government and the granting OF great
er powers to the democraticaly chosen nstrumentaities
of local self government. The grant of independence to
the Philippine Islands, the autonomy which Puerto Rico
has acquired within our nation by Congresslonally sane
toned compact, and the serious consideration Congress
has already given legislation for Alaskan and Hawaiian
statehood are but the more dramatic manifestations OF a
liberal policy which successive Congresses have sought to
implement. Indeed, Senate Report No. 1911, which accom-
panied the proposed Revised Organic Act OF. the Virgin
Islands, stated as one of the Qualifications Of the measure
that 1T would give a greater degree OF autonomy, econo-
mic as we'll as political, to the people of the Virgin Islands
2 I. S. Code Cong. and Adm. News. 1854, 83rd. Cong. I'd
sess, 1856, 1885. The Interpretation urged by respondent
would attribute to Congress a purpose to move, albeit a
very short step, in the opposite direction. For, in the con-
shutting of the Government of the Virgin Islands, the
Legislature alone is elected by popular vote. Of course,
Congress is free to curtal the powers OF that territorial
legislature, among them its power to investigate the local
administration of the public business. But a court should
bereluctant to find such a reversal of declared direction
by implication when the language Of Congress does not
compel it.
Finally, a restrictive rule in this case would impose a
clog on normal governmental processes other than the
type of investigation now pending. All legislative conn
mittee work would be draSticaily restricted. At argument
of this case it was pointed out that a special session of
the Legislature had just been called to consider and for
mulate a major tax program for the Virgin Islands. Under
the limitation of legislative power for which respondent
contends here, the Finance Committee would have no
power in the weeks preceding that session to assemble
officially, summon witnesses, obtain professional legal and
economic guidance and otherwise prepare itself to recon-
mend a considered bill to the Legislature. The multiple
cation Of such cases might well become a serious handicap
togood government, particularly since the Organic Act re-
quires actual legislative sessions to be so brief that the
duration and coVerage of committee hearings at session
time must necessarily be rather limited. Here again, if
Congress wishes thus to circumsoribe territorial legisla-
tive activity it is entirely free to do so. But a court should
not impose a restriction SO far reaching and potentially so
descriptive of the normal functioning of government by
I%imputing to the language Of Congress a meaning which
the text does not require.
1t is the legal conclusion of the court that no implied
limitation OF time restricts the power Congress has ex-
pressly conferred upon the Legislature Of the Virgin Is
lands to conduct Investigations. The particular limitations
hoc ironocod .1non@ Tho IdIYrofioo r. cocc;o-