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    "label": "Report, United States Policy Toward Puerto Rico Since 1898, Division of Historical Policy Research, Department of State",
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    "id": "290019006",
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    "title": "Report, United States Policy Toward Puerto Rico Since 1898, Division of Historical Policy Research, Department of State",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/290019006",
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            "logicalDate": "1951-08-01",
            "month": 8,
            "year": 1951
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{
    "seq": 47,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750357/750357-26-047.tif",
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    "ocrText": "RESTRICTED\nDECLASSIFIED\nRESPRICTED\nAuthority E.O. 10501\n-77-\n-76-\n11\nthe colonial system has destroyed to\nAs already indicated in part, the Puerto Rican\nspokesmen who testified at the Congressional hearings\nits very foundation our life in its political,\nconducted in 1943 and 1945 on Puerto Rican problems,\nsocial, and economic aspects. Politically,\ncolonialism means an utter impossibility to\nirrespective of their far-reaching disagreements on\nthe specific forms of status, were in uniform accord\nestablish a government suited to our needs and\nsuited to the best use and enjoyment of our\nin voicing the general desire that the uncertainty\nconcerning Puerto Rico's final status be terminated.\nresources. Socially, colonialism means an\n1\nSenator Munoz Marin testified further in November 1943:\nalmost total disintegration of our cultural\nassets and of our spiritual and moral values,\n'Dissatisfaction with the present colonial\nand economically, colonialism means for Puerto\nRico social insecurity, ever-lowering standards\nstatus of Puerto Rico is unanimous on the island,\nof living, and ever-increasing social unrest.' If\nThis dissatisfaction has been well known as a\npervading fact of Puerto Rican life for many years.\nIn May 1945 a House subcommittee which had investigated\nIn its resolution of February 1943, the legis-\nconditions in Puerto Rico reported on the widespread\nlature has expressed its clear opposition, without\nfeeling of dissatisfaction because of the unsettled\none dissenting vote among its membership, to the\nstatus of the island and on the prominence of the ques-\ncontinuation of the colonial system in Puerto Rico.\ntion in the island's political life. 1\nTestifying in 1945, the Vice President of the insular\nTWO years after the adoption by the insular Legis-\nSenate, Samuel R. Quinones, who was also President of the\nlature of the 1943 resolution relating to status, that\nBar Association and authorized spokesman for the Society\nbody passed a second concurrent resolution, on February 20,\nof Journalists, pleaded: 2\n1945, basing it on the Atlantic Charter and \"on the right\nof self-determination\". The resolution read in part:\n\"No piece. of land under the American flag has\nbeen SO ill treated, SO far as the political status\n\"First. To petition respectfully, as by the\nis concerned, as Puerto Rico. The Philippine Islands\npresent, from the Congress of the United States,\nhave been granted independence. The act whereby\nthe enactment of a law instrumenting the alterna-\nHawaii was acquired by the United States specifically\ntive forms of definite political status for Puerto\nprovided that Hawaii was to be an integral part of\nRico that Congress may be disposed to grant upon\nthe United States.\nonly in regard to Puerto\napproval of any of them by the people of Puerto\nRico has nothing been done by the Congress, as far\nRico, in such manner that our people may have clear\nas the establishment of a definite government is\nknowledge of the mutual economic relationships and\nconcerned.\nCongress has done nothing, and the\nthe recognition of mutual moral obligations that\nSupreme Court has decided that we have nothing, as\nwould exist under each of the alternative forms that\nfar as a form of permanent government is concerned. 11\nCongress may present to them.\nHe described thus the baleful consequences of the existing\nstatus: 3\n1 House Report No. 497, 79th Congress, 1st Session,\np.\n22.\non S. 1407, p. 218. He expressed\n2 Hearings\non S. 227, p. 109.\nHearings\nhimself in similar terms in May 1945; Hearings\non\nS. 227, p. 377.\n2 Ibid., pp. 363-65.\n3 Ibid., p. 365.\nRESTRICTED"
}