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DECLASSIFIED
Authority E.O. 10501
-100-
-101-
Affairs. He was moved to seek a solution for the Puerto
"It is our pride that this policy was faith-
Rican question, he said, by the anomalous relationship
fully pursued in the case of the Philippines.
between the island and the mainland, the unlikelihood
The people of the Philippines determined that
that Statehood would ever be granted, and the fact that
they desired political independence, and the
continued relief for Puerto Rico was no solution to the
Government of the United States made provision
problem. 1
to. this effect.
In keeping with the wishes of the Puerto Rican
"It is now time, in my opinion, to ascertain
people, as expressed by the Joint Legislative Commission
from the people of Puerto Rico their wishes as to
(representing all parties in the Legislature) in the
the ultimate status which they prefer, and, within
course of the hearings held in 1945, Senator Tydings
such limits may be determined by the Congress,
introduced on May 15, 1945 a bill authorizing the Legis-
to grant to them the kind of government which they
lature to conduct a referendum in which the people would
desire.
vote on the three alternative forms of political status--
independence Statehood, and dominion status--outlined
"The present form of government in the Island
in the bill. Provisions to be incorporated into the
appears to be unsatisfactory to a large number of
constitutions of the alternatives were set forth in the
its inhabitants. Different groups of people in
bill. No bill relating to dominion status had ever before
Puerto Rico are advocating various changes in the
been introduced in Congress. 3
present form of government.
President Truman, in a special message to Congress
"These advocated changes include different
dated October 16, 1945, without referring to the pending
possibilities: (1) The right of the Puerto Ricans
bills, proposed the following course of action: 4
to elect their own Governor with a wider measure
of local self-government; (2) statehood for Puerto
"It is the settled policy of this Government
Rico; (3) complete independence; and, (4) a dominion
to promote the political, social, and economic
form of government.
development of people who have not yet attained
full self-government, and eventually to make it
"Each of these propositions is being urged
possible for them to determine their own form of
in the Island, and each has its own advocates.
government.
Uncertainty has been created among the people as
to just what the future of Puerto Rico is to be.
These uncertainties should be cleared away at an
early date:
Hearings
on S. 952, pp. 55 and 244.
HTO this end, I recommend that the Congress
2s. 1002, 79th Congress, 1st Session. Tydings intro-
consider each of the proposals, and that legislation
duced the bill merely "by request" in view of his con-
be enacted submitting various alternatives to the
viction that Congress would not take positive action on
people of Puerto Rico. In that way, the Congress
any choice involving Statehood or dominion status.
can ascertain what the people of Puerto Rico them-
3
For a further discussion of Senator Tydings' bills,
selves most desire for their political future.
see the section on the attitude of Federal authorities
toward independence, post, pp. 170-179.
1945, p. 9676.
Congressional Record; vol. 91, part 7, Oct. 16,
DSTRICTED
RESTRICTED
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"ocrText": "RESTRICTED\nDECLASSIFIED\nAuthority E.O. 10501\n-100-\n-101-\nAffairs. He was moved to seek a solution for the Puerto\n\"It is our pride that this policy was faith-\nRican question, he said, by the anomalous relationship\nfully pursued in the case of the Philippines.\nbetween the island and the mainland, the unlikelihood\nThe people of the Philippines determined that\nthat Statehood would ever be granted, and the fact that\nthey desired political independence, and the\ncontinued relief for Puerto Rico was no solution to the\nGovernment of the United States made provision\nproblem. 1\nto. this effect.\nIn keeping with the wishes of the Puerto Rican\n\"It is now time, in my opinion, to ascertain\npeople, as expressed by the Joint Legislative Commission\nfrom the people of Puerto Rico their wishes as to\n(representing all parties in the Legislature) in the\nthe ultimate status which they prefer, and, within\ncourse of the hearings held in 1945, Senator Tydings\nsuch limits may be determined by the Congress,\nintroduced on May 15, 1945 a bill authorizing the Legis-\nto grant to them the kind of government which they\nlature to conduct a referendum in which the people would\ndesire.\nvote on the three alternative forms of political status--\nindependence Statehood, and dominion status--outlined\n\"The present form of government in the Island\nin the bill. Provisions to be incorporated into the\nappears to be unsatisfactory to a large number of\nconstitutions of the alternatives were set forth in the\nits inhabitants. Different groups of people in\nbill. No bill relating to dominion status had ever before\nPuerto Rico are advocating various changes in the\nbeen introduced in Congress. 3\npresent form of government.\nPresident Truman, in a special message to Congress\n\"These advocated changes include different\ndated October 16, 1945, without referring to the pending\npossibilities: (1) The right of the Puerto Ricans\nbills, proposed the following course of action: 4\nto elect their own Governor with a wider measure\nof local self-government; (2) statehood for Puerto\n\"It is the settled policy of this Government\nRico; (3) complete independence; and, (4) a dominion\nto promote the political, social, and economic\nform of government.\ndevelopment of people who have not yet attained\nfull self-government, and eventually to make it\n\"Each of these propositions is being urged\npossible for them to determine their own form of\nin the Island, and each has its own advocates.\ngovernment.\nUncertainty has been created among the people as\nto just what the future of Puerto Rico is to be.\nThese uncertainties should be cleared away at an\nearly date:\nHearings\non S. 952, pp. 55 and 244.\nHTO this end, I recommend that the Congress\n2s. 1002, 79th Congress, 1st Session. Tydings intro-\nconsider each of the proposals, and that legislation\nduced the bill merely \"by request\" in view of his con-\nbe enacted submitting various alternatives to the\nviction that Congress would not take positive action on\npeople of Puerto Rico. In that way, the Congress\nany choice involving Statehood or dominion status.\ncan ascertain what the people of Puerto Rico them-\n3\nFor a further discussion of Senator Tydings' bills,\nselves most desire for their political future.\nsee the section on the attitude of Federal authorities\ntoward independence, post, pp. 170-179.\n1945, p. 9676.\nCongressional Record; vol. 91, part 7, Oct. 16,\nDSTRICTED\nRESTRICTED"
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