Freedom When Willing

The U.S. no longer felt called upon to submit reports to the U.N. on how things were going in Puerto Rico. Such reports are required for territories that are not fully self-governing. The U.S. maintained that Puerto Rico, which elects its own governor and legislature and administers its internal laws, is fully self-governing. Last week the U.N. General Assembly acknowledged Puerto Rico's self-governing status, but by a thin margin and many abstentions.

U.S. Delegate Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. had a quick answer for the U.N.'s apparent doubts. The White House had authorized him to say that the Puerto Ricans could have full independence--meaning nationhood--any time they want it.

In San Juan, Governor Luis Munoz Marin expressed profuse Latin appreciation of the generous offer--but added that the Puerto Ricans do not want independence. Under the present arrangement, Puerto Rico sends its goods tariff-free to the U.S., and exports to the U.S. (without restriction since they are U.S. citizens) hundreds of thousands of its surplus people. Most Puerto Ricans do not want to give all that up for the cold rigors of nationhood.

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