In the past, Congress has often been JAMES R. BROCKMAN slow to grant statehood, even when resi dents of a territory clearly wanted it. Alaskans voted for statehood in 1946 and Congress approved it only in 1958. A General Accounting Office study notes that Congress has bee~ reluctant to admit states with cultures different from the Puerto Rico's rest, like Utah, New Mexico and Hawaii. Statehood, moreover, would not.neces sarily mean the end of agitation for inde Future pendence or autonomy. The Basques have been part of a united Spain for centuries, Ireland was once part of the United King dom and one could go on and on with ex amples of peoples that resisted absorption For the first time, residents of Puerto Rico Some will surely object, also, that Puer into another nation. Some Puerto Ricans have participated in U.S. Presidential to Rico is a land of a different language would undoubtedly continue to resist politics through the primary elections held and culture. When Congress admitted assimilation. there. Qn February 17, 210,000 voters Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico, it Governor Romero has said that if Puer elected 14 delegates to the Republican required them to use English in legisla to Ricans ask for statehood and Congress convention, and on March 16, some tures and public schools. Congress might refuses, he will work for independence. 800,000 elected 41 delegates to the Demo feel the same about Puerto Rico-and He may mean what he says. No dourt cratic convention. For Puerto Rico, if not Governor Romero has said such condi others would react to a rejection by Co•> for the candidates themselves, the fact of tions would be unacceptable to him. Be gress in the same way. Some independence the elections was probably more signifi sides, if a sizable minority, s4ch as 40 per advocates are counting on it and predict cant than the outcome. In the Democratic cent, votes against statehood, it would ing a great upsurge of independence senti primary, some 80 percent of the electorate seem that too large a proportion of Puerto ment when the statehood movement voted (including many or most who had Ricans reject integration into the United stumbles. voted in the Republican primary), and States with the consequent diminishment Congress has a precedent in granting in thereby displayed their apparent desire to and eventual loss of their own culture and dependence: the Philippines. Like Puerto participate in mainland politics: language. Some Puerto Ricans obviously Rico, the Philippines were taken from For Gov. Carlos Romero Barce16, the feel very intensely their difference and are Spain by conquest in 1898. Unlike Puerto primaries were an important move in his willing to fight to maintain it. The terror Rico, the Philippines declared their inde maneuvers to make Puerto Rico the 51st ist groups that have attacked U .S. soldiers pendence, with Admiral Dewey's encour state. Having had a taste of voting for and killed U .S. sailors in Puerto Rico and agement, after the battle of Manila Bay in President, Puerto Ricans must now watch set off bombs there and here may be small 1898, drew up a constitution and inaugur the November election go by without be In numbers, but many in the U.S. Con ated a president. Both Spain and the Unit ing able to vote. Governor Romero will gress may prefer not to take them on as a ed States ignored this action, however, . then urge them to vote for statehood in a permanent adversary. Who, after all, and the islands remained under U .S. gov referendum that he plans to hold next needs an LR.A. or a P.L.0.? ernment until the Japanese occupation of year. Statehood advocates are predicting a Another difficulty may concern money .. 1941 . Congress bad finally granted inde vote of 60 percent for statehood. They Puerto Rico is exempt at present from pendence in 1934, however, with a 10-year seem likely ta get at least a majority. most Federal taxes, including the income transition period, so that the Philippines That would be a disappointment for the tax. Puerto Rico residents pay about the became officially independent in 1944 and Popular Democratic Party, which advo same taxes as mainlanders, but to the really so in 1946. Filipinos celebrate their cates association with the United States, Puerto Rican Government. Even so, Independence Day, however, on June 12, and for the Independence Party and Puerto Rico has a public debt of $22 bil the anniversary of the 1898 declaration. others, who want an independent Puerto lion, a sign of its continuing economic Although independence sentiment has Rico. It would not mean the end of their problems. The Federal Government not been so widespread in Puerto Rico as hopes, however, nor the fulfillment of the would probably have to assume Puerto in the Philippines, it is just as passionate hopes of statehood advocates. · · Rico's debt, as it did Hawaii's in 1898, and just as old. The Latin American inde~ Statehood must _be COl}ferred by Con and also give it financial help, as it helped pendence movement arrived in Puerto gress, and Congress might not be willing Alaska with cash and 103 million acres of Rico with an uprising in 1868 that Spain _ to do it. As a state, Puerto Rico would public lands. Puerto Rico as a state quickly quelled. Independence sentiment have about seven representatives in the would probably not cost the Federal trea among many Puerto Ricans continued, House, and other states could possibly sury much more than it does now, but however, under both Spain and the Unit lose the sa.me number. No congressman some Congress members might object to ed States .. A small uprising occurred would like to -rote his state fewer seats and admitting a state that would be a finan against U.S. rule in 1950, but most inde perhaps vote himself out of office. cial burden for the foreseeable futur~. pendence advocates have abstained from
320 America/April 12, 1980 . ,!
~nee. In recent years, they have shown to call it colonialism. This is because it is some of his fellow party members use even Jess polit'ical strength, but many observers Congress and Federal Jaw that govern stronger words. think that independence sentiment sleeps Puerto Rico, even though Congress has Governor Romero sees statehood as the in the heart of most Puerto Ricans, wait conceded limited local rule. Such critics of best way out of colonialism's vestiges, but ing to be awakened by a change in politi the prese[\t system as the Puerto Rican Bar· he faces a hurdle of his own before he can ~al conditions or the kiss of a charismatic Association and the American Friends . ·· even- have his statehood referendum-he · leader. -So far, the Prince Charming has Servic.e Committee ·want Congress to re~ must be reelected next November. He is a' not appeared, but he just might be Carlos · nounce its power over Puerto Rico and.let popular- figure, but he w_as unable to ._ ~ Romero Barcel6 if the Governor finds his Puerto Ricans choose tneir own fut~e. A deliver the big win that he wanted in the statehood dream frustrated and decides to . That, Con gress . is unlikely to do, even primarifor his candidate, President Car become the first president of the repµblic though U.S. politicians profes~ adherence ter. Former Gov. R; fael Hernandez Co- of Puerto Rico. · to Puerto Rican self-determination. 16n of the Popular Democratic Party · That is to move far ahead into the realm "The problem of Puerto Rico is colo · '- backed Senator Edward M. Kennedy. ·, of speculation, however. If Puerto Ricans nialism," wrote Jose A. Cabranes in For Many Pu~rto Ricans viewed the primary choose statehood and Congress refuses, eign Policy (Winter 1978-79), "and de as a warmup between the Governor and the immediate result for Puerto Rico will colonization stands at the front and center the former Governor; who will face off in be to continue as it is .- The "Common of the island's politics and its relations November for th ~ governorship, rather wealth," a system of limited self-govern · with the United States, now and for the than a Carter-Kenn edy popularity p0ll, as ment, was devised in 1952 to appease anti foreseeable future." Mr. Cabranes was mainlanders saw it. If Mr. Hernandez colonia:J forces in the United Nations. In special counsel to the Governor of Puerto • Col6n should unseat Mr. Romero in No recent years all political groups in Puerto Rico and administrator of the common vember~ 'there will be no statehood· ref Rico have rejected its . present form, in wealth's Washington office under the erendum next year. The Popular_Demo cluding its founders, the Popular Demo P_op1:1Iar Democratic government. Since cratic Governor would continue to seek cratic Party, which calls for greater auton writing the above, he has become a Fed greater autonomy under the common omy within the present ·structure. For the eral judge. Even the ardently pro-Ameri wealth structure, and Puerto Rico's future United States, the present arrangement is can Governor Romero Barcel6 admits would be as uncertain as before. · an embarrassment, since Puerto Rican that the U.S.-Puerto Rican relationship The Coming-To-Be Of A World Church' . "Theologically speaking, there are three great epochs in Church history, of which the third has only just begun . .. the coming-to be of a world Church." Karl Rahner, S. J. at Weston Honorary Degree Convocation, April 1979 Thinking A~out Ministry In This Kind Of Ch.urch? WESTON offers: PROGRAMS: a collaborative model for theological al'ld ministerial edu Master of Divinity, the first professional degree for min cation in the Jesuit and Roman Catholic tradition istry a national student body of religious and laity, men and Master of Theology, a year of specialization in a major women area of theology beyond the M . Div. a highly qualified and accessible faculty Master of Arts and Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Direction,· extensive ecumenical opportunities in an interfaith con further professionalization in theory and practice sortium of nine institutions, induding neighboring Episcopal Continuing Education, non-degree and personalized and Harvard Divinity Schools, 250 full and part time faculty. programs for a sabbatical semester or year 900 courses and combined library holdings of nearly two million books· · Write: Director of Admissions, access to the educational and cultural resources of Boston WESTON SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY and Cambridge, the country's oldest community of 3 Phillips Place, Cambridge, MA 02138 learning yet as contemporary as nearby Harvard Square _Tel. (617) 492-1960 ...... America/April 12, 1980 321