Puerto Rican Governor Lauds Island's Example

The basic meaning of the Puerto Rican experience, according to Governor Luis Munoz Marin, is that a people, freed from colonialism, can avoid nationalism.

"As we see it, Puerto Rico is a new kind of state, both in the sense of the United States Federal System and in the general sense of a people organized to govern themselves," Munoz pointed out in his second Godkin lecture last night.

"The idea of 'Compact' determines a basic change in the relationship. It takes away from the very basis of the relationship--the nature and onus of colonialism. It cannot be changed or revoked unilaterally," he continued.

Admitting that the relationships between Puerto Rico and the United States have not been refined to the highest possible degree, Munoz explained that legislation is in progress to correct the inadequacies.

Proposed changes include the removal of debt limitation from the Puerto Rican people and its insertion into the Puerto Rican constitution. Further, appeals from the Puerto Rican Supreme Court will be redirected to the U.S. Supreme Court rather than to the Circuit Court of Boston. Munoz said that his government is also considering both a plan that would enable the President of the United States to negotiate certain commercial treaties for Puerto Rico, and a system that would allow Puerto Rican citizens to pay for federal functions performed in Puerto Rico.

Once again, the question period proved particularly vigorous, and lasted almost as long as the speech itself. Questioned about the advantage for the U.S. in Puerto Rican relationships, Munoz said that, of course, his country could not make an appreciable financial contribution to the U.S., but that it serves as a go-between for the Latins and the North Americans.

Discussing the permanence of Puerto Rico's commonwealth status, Munoz said that the majority considers it irrevocable. Whether or not this is true legally is a secondary question, he said.

The Governor, questioned once again on his opinion of Castro, asserted that he has great sympathy for the Cuban Revolution but disagrees with some of its methods.