70953 10 16 Copy 50 COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS, EIGHTY-FIRST CONGRESS H. R. 7674 and S. 3336 TO PROVIDE FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF A JULY 12, 1949, MARCH 14, MAY 16, JUNE 8, 1950 Serial No. 35 Printed for the use of the Committee on Public Lands UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1950 Hon. A. Fernós-Isern, Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.- Hon. Walter A. Lynch, Representative in Congress from the State of Mr. Victor Gutierrez, member of the Senate of Puerto Rico--. Hon. Antonio Fernós-Isern, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico___ Hon. Vito Marcantonio, Representative in Congress from the State of PUERTO RICO CONSTITUTION TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1949 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:20 a. m., Hon. J. Hardin Peterson (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. We are honored to have with us this morning the Governor of Puerto Rico. We have asked him to make such statement as he may wish. At this time I will recognize our distinguished friend, the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, and ask him to introduce his Governor to the committee. Mr. FERNÓS-ISERN. Mr. Chairman, I shall start by thanking the chairman for calling this meeting and the distinguished members of the committee for having attended and being ready to listen to the Governor of Puerto Rico. Two years ago this committee reported favorably and unanimously a bill to allow the people of Puerto Rico to elect their own Governor. The bill was passed by the Congress and under that law the people of Puerto Rico themselves elected in November of 1948 their first Governor. The first elected Governor of Puerto Rico was the Honorable Luis Muñoz-Marín, who is with us today. This is his first visit to Washington, since his election as Governor. He is very familiar with Washington, having lived in Washington himself, and being the son of a former Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, from 1910 to 1917. It is a very happy occasion because this committee is responsible for the legislative functions of the National Government in what pertains to the 2,000,000 United States citizens who live on the island of Puerto Rico and are organized there as a community by themselves. This committee naturally has a very profound interest in Puerto Rican affairs. It is the agency of Congress to look after the Puerto Rican affairs and I think the members will be interested in listening to what the first Governor may be willing to say concerning the way Puerto Rico has been developing since this great advance in their democratic organization has taken place. Mr. Luis Muñoz-Marín, Governor of Puerto Rico. The CHAIRMAN. Governor, we are mighty glad to have you with us. Will you take a seat and proceed in your own way. After that the committee will probably want to ask you questions. STATEMENT OF LUIS MUÑOZ-MARÍN, GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO Governor MUÑOZ-MARÍN. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I want first to take this opportunity upon my first visit to Washington since the election to thank this committee for having in 1 |