Evening star., 1961-11-13
HEADLINE PERSONALITY
Munoz Marin Rotes
AS Big Asset to US.

-
The man in whose honor
world famed cellist Pablo
CaSals gives rare dinner con-
cert at the White House to-
night is one of President Ken
nedy's greatest assets in Latin
America.
In many ways Luis Munoz
Marin 0oo-EES Moo-NYOSS
Mah-REEN is an embodiment
Of the inter-American Alliance
for Progress.
During 13 years as governor
Of Puerto Rico, his Operation
Bootstrap has changed the is
land commonwealth from the
''poorhouse Of America" into a
showcase Of democracy and
prosperity.
The 63-year-old governor is
more than q talented political
leader. He is a passionate be-
lever in liberal democracy. He
is also q poet known affec-
tionately among his people as
El Vate-the bard. In culti-
waiting the arts. he naturally
became a close friend Of Pablo
Casals who lives in Pureto Rico
in self-impoSed exile from
Franco Spain.
Mr.. Munoz Marin believes
that freedom Of man means
nothing without economic and
social justice. At the same time,
he believes material prosperity
is meaningless unless it elevates
the spirit Of man.
Backed Sweeping Reforms
When he became Puerto
Rico's first elected governor
in l94S, he instituted sweeping
economic and social reforms.
The result was a sudden boom
which registered such impress
Sive material gains that Mr..
Munoz Marin began to worry
about their impact on the spirit
of the island.
With typical directness he
responded with Operation
Serenity" which restores old
churches, preserces architec-
tural and cultural treasures
Of old Puerto Rico. and gen.
orally cultivates intellectuals
and artists. The program has
turned Puerto Rico into a lead
ing cultural sanctum in Latin
America.
Two days before his inaugu-
ration last January, President
elect Kennedy travelled to New
York for a meeting with Mr..
Munoz Marin who had just
been reelected to his third
term as Governor. In the fol-
lowing months the tall mus
tached Puerto Rican leader
has become q key adviser on
United States policy in Latin
America.
But Mr.. Munoz Marin has not
always been so sympathetic to
North American policy. He be-
gan his political career back in
1926, as editor and publisher of
La Domecracia and member Of
the new Leberal Party, by urg-
ing complete Puerto Rican in
dependence from the United
States. He broke with the con-
servatism Of his father, Luis
Munoz Rivera, popularity known
as the George Washington of
Puerto Rico" 4
Studied Here !,
Although born in San Juan.
Mr.. Munoz Marin spent much
Of his youth in New York and
Washington. He was a law stu
dent here at Georgetown Uni
versity. Between 1916 and 1918 ,
he was secretary to the Puerto
Rican representative to the
United States Congress. and for
a brief period was member Of
the Socialist Party. L,
Against this background, it
was perhaps natural for Mr..
Munoz Marin later to support ,
the young Fidel Castro's fight
against Cuban dictator Batista.
He was also far less hostile than
official North American policy :
toward sweeping social reforms
instituted nv thn new Cuba
government after January /,
1859. .,
But Castro'~ etcadv diff to-
ward Communism and his vi
cious attacks on liberal leaders
all over Latin America have
led to disenchantment. In the
past year Gov. Munoz Marin
has turned his island into a
haven for exiled democratic
Cuban leaders betrayed by Cas-
tro.
In fact, San Juan has be-
come an effective counter
balance to the strife-ridden
exile colony in Miami for fight
ing Castroism both in Cuba and
in the hemisphere.
Needless to say Gov. Munoz
Marin has dropped his earlier !
advocacy Of Puerto Rican in
dependence. BY the time he !