One More Step

For 30 of its nearly 50 years under U.S. control, Puerto Rico has elected all its own legislators. Last week, when President Truman signed a bill passed by the 80th Congress, Puerto Rico also got the right to elect its own governor, heretofore appointed by the White House. Nov. 2, 1948, general election day in the U.S., was the date set for the island's first gubernatorial election.

Puerto Ricans rejoiced. The U.S. Department of the Interior, which helped push the election bill through Congress, was happy, too. Said Under Secretary Oscar L. Chapman: "People and nations all over the world . . . will see in [this law] evidence that the U.S. puts into practice its principles of democracy and self-determination."

But Puerto Ricans were painfully aware that a great deal of doctoring of their sick sugar economy would have to be done before they could assume the responsibilities either of statehood or, like the Filipinos, independence.

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