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a e them. Ore of the most serious ob- j ections 1 have to the bili is the proposal to have one Colonial Councii for the two i:lands. Such a preposal, if adopted, would deprive the best brains of this island of an opportunity to participate in the political affairs of this island. In iny earnest opinion the frame work and foundation of this Senate Bill is so poor that no amendment could be made toit. [ recommernd the resolution to the favorable consideration of members. 3rd Appointed Member for St. Thomas (Nolte) remarked: Mr. Chairman. Pro- bably enough has been said that we may bring this meeting to a close As a matter of fact things have taken a dif- ferent turn. 1 thouzht we have assem- bled here to discuss a resolu’ion and not to make amendment to Senate Bill No. 2T86. 1t seemis to me that if it does not lack in brain it is lacking in adaptability. As to the secrecy concerning the bill that has been explained, but I havea suspicion myself. ‘lhis bill has been the lesult of false pretences and propaganda work. [l'he bill 1s lacking in its frame- work, so much so that it cannot be amended. We are here to adopt a leso- lution and not to make corrections ic a Senate bill. The guestion is whether it should be countenanced or not. Not only that it does not suit us, but it has not been carried through the right way. To my mind it will do us the greatest harm in the worid. We can hardly amend it asitis. We want the people who think they are doing us a favor to know that they are doing us a harm. It is saying a great deal to say that the seven years of American occupation of these isirands have been wasted. 1 don’t think anyone can Justly say that these islands have retrograded under the present Govern- ment. Mr. Chairman: I cow move that this resolution, moved by thirteen mem- bers of the Colonial Council of St. Thom- as and St. John and the majority of the members of the Colonial Councii of 3t. Croix be adopted. The Chairman remarked: In the first place some members of the St. Thomas and St. John Council bave already sig- nified tn me that they have some minor changes to make to the resolution. For the purpose of bringing the views of both Counecils into harmony upon the bill I will give a recess after whicha commitiee wili be appointed to receive and report on he resclution, but before doing so I will read a communication re- ceived from the 2nd E'ected Member for St. Thomas. 7The Chairman read the communication, which ils as follows: St. Thomas, 3rd April 1924. The Honorable Chairman of the Colomal Council for St. Thomas and St. John St. Thomas. Dear Sir, Whilst I do not see the necessity of passing the within Resolution in a SIT. 01 %Y1 joint meeting of the two courcils, and would have preferred that the Resolution had been nassed separately by the re- spective Councils,I beg tu state thatI heartily agree with, and approve of samie. : Yours faithfully, AXEL HOLST. 2nd Appointed Member for St. Croix (Noll) remarked: Mr. Chairman. Before taking 4 recess I \}'ol{l(]a;k_ for the word. ‘I he Cheirmian signified his copsent. 2nd Appointed Member for St. Croix (Noll) 1 feelit ircumbent upon me to state where [ stand, not particularly as a Mem- her of this Council or as a resident of this island, but as an American citizen, and for the sake of having something on record. Now, then, we are met here today not for the purpose of discussihg the merirs or demerits of a bill introduced in the Senate by Senator McLean. We are met here for the purpose of discussing a re- solution and nothing else; but untor- tunately the resolution is so mixed up with the bill that it is bhard to discuss one without the other. 1 do not know Senator MeLean, be he a Democrat or Kepublican. [ doubt that when he knows the facts as they exist down here he will not say that ke is not interested in the bill. True Sena- tor MeLean did introduce the bill, but I hold here in my haud pap:rs showing the person who requested the introduction of the bill. Tae Speaker then read the following: *Vigin Islands Committee, 70 Fifth Avenue. N. Y. Dear Friend. The enclosed is an appeal that should receive your imme- diate attention by sevrding a contribu- tion to 70 Fifth Avenue. We have just entered a bill in the Congress for a civil formfor government in the is- lands. We npeed funds to push this drive. Will vou kelp ? Thank vou. Respecttully, ROTHSCHILD FRANCIS. and continuing said, —Now gentlemen, does that ray tnat Senator McLean intro- duced a bill in th2 Senate of the United States asking fora ecivil form of Govern- ment for the Virgin Islands ? This is sizned hv Rothschild Francis, Chairman of the Executive Committee. It is ciear that al: Senator McLean did ils what any other Senator would do. Namely, put the bill before the Senate for its consid- eration. [ also have in my hand some cards, among them being: The Member read the following: ' ““West 139 Street, near 8:h Avenue. A Monster Mass Meeting to petition Congress {for remedial legislation for the Virgin Islands. You are politely requested to attend. Help a just cause, continuing the Speaker said,—This man gained ti.e c¢o. silence of a Senator of the United Statcs and got him to intreduce this bill, and when an investigation was made we found th2 source, and we found that it is rotten: we have found the weak s eel structure, and we do not care to build upon it. Ger.tlemen, are we gcing to stand for this. [ would rather go down in defeat than to submit to something that bhas been secretly thrusted upon us as this Senate Bill has been. The bill whaich is now before the Senate did not emanate from us: and that’s why I say let us pro- ceed by a resolution. The merits or de- merits of the resolution have not been discussed bere much: the first three para- graphs of it relate to the source. I don’t think it needs argument to know that the bill was placed into the hands of Senator McLean by self-constituted parties The reslution which is now be- fore the House does not say that the Colonial Courcil of St. Croix or the Colo- nial Council of St. Thomas and St. John or any member disagrees with the idea of bhaving civil government for these islands, I bhave been a staunch sup- porter of civil government, and I feel that when the time comes we will have it. But the time has not yet arrived. In bringing into the Union of the United States some thirty-seven states, so far as [ have studied, every constitutional state sent Its pro- pesed enabling act to Congres and it kept on going back and forth until it was satisfactory. It may be considered absurd to ask Congress to send the bill here to us be- fore taking action upon it. Legally it 1s not binding upon CHngress to do so, but moriliy it 1s binding on them to do so. W iat we are up against 13, Congress is not studying all the loeal laws dowa hoere. Taat’s the reason why I ask that we araw their atten'ion to them. | admi that Congress has acted withouc our ¢on- sent, but I alsy admit that Congrass nas not done so intentionally. As to the last paragraph of the r:so- Jution the Member is trying to put suzar in vinegar to make it sweet. He is try- ing to build on a week structure. It would be far atrom democracy for ary one to say I will spap this o:er you, so amend it gquickly. Are we going to do it? No. we are zoing to vote for a resolution. If any one wishes to advo- cate a civil government for these islands I think therels ample time to frame a bill that will be suitable to loecal condi- tions. Bth Eleeted Member for St. Thomas (Rotschehild Francis) remarked: Mr, Chairman- The Honorable 2nd Appoint- ed Member for St- Croix, an able Law- yer, an able speaker, has made his ap- peal to the House. He has accused tne Virgin Islands Committee. That Com- mittee consists of four hundred Ameri- cans and Virgin Islanders. H:> spoaks of territories, here is history: One year after Porto Rico hecame a possession of the United States, alihougin the prople