TO BE HEARD, PUERTO RICO MUST PRESENT A SERIOUS CRISIS TO THE COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON. THEY HAVE DISREGARDED THEIR COMMISSIONERS, WHO HAVE LIMITED THEMSELVES TO MAKING ANOTHER GENUFLECTION, Says Albizu Campos from the columns of the Dominican press. From our Dominican colleague, “La Opinión,” we take the following interview with Licenciado Albizu Campos: “Pedro Albizu Campos… The Nationalist of Ponce… Independence ideals… Heroic struggle… Wills of steel… Shame… Dignity. Apostolate. When the siren of the “San Lorenzo” greeted yesterday the Pleasure of Studies, in my mind leaped all the words that serve to qualify the civic virtues of men. Albizu Campos has not been a dancer in politics. He hates theatricality. He is a well-prepared intellectual. He does not like provincial exhibitionism. He is dedicated to the high ideals of nationality. Pedro Albizu Campos luminous eyes, sad smile, tropical brown color is a Man. (I beg the linotypist to pay attention to the capital V). The Vice-President of the Nationalist Party, fiery verb, the Director of El Nacionalista de Ponce, buffalo leather whip, Mississippi overflow, was a friend of mine: he is a friend of mine. I am a friend of all men who love the word redemption, be they Chinese, Cantonese, Indians of Ghandi or Boricuas involuntarily subjected to the Nordic empire. It was, therefore, easy for me to see and converse with the granitic leader of Puerto Rican nationalism. The interview had several episodes and different scenarios Hour: 9 to 1 at night. Place: Parque Colón; interior of a “guagua”, San Gerónimo; Parque Colón, Fausto Restaurant. Pedro Albizu Campos, born in Ponce on September 12, 1891, graduated from the famous Harvard University in the courses of Chemical Engineering, Letters and Philosophy, Military Sciences and Law, successfully practices his profession as a Lawyer. He knows what he has in hand. His conversation is very pleasant and his answers are quick and precise. In front of the statue of the Great Admiral, after a brief chat: -And what should Puerto Rico do then? -Puerto Rico has to present a serious crisis to the colonial administration in order to be heard in its demand. Until now the colonist has made requests for things of little importance. In Washington they have disregarded their commissioners and these have resigned themselves to making another genuflection. A nation like the North American one, with enormous national and international problems, does not have time to attend to submissive and servile men. It requires the formation of an organization that encompasses all the people of Puerto Rico and that definitively breaks with the regime of the colony, and requests from the free nations the recognition of our independence in order to achieve the re-concentration of the North American mind on our situation. In the “guagua”, in front of two enormous ladies who spoke in a tone of over-acute B flat: -Is Puerto Rican nationalism making its way into the soul of the people? -“Nationalist ideology dominates the country. No one dares to combat it. The leaders of the old and base politicking cannot attack it openly because to do so they would lose their influence in the colonial government. The university youth, the new generations that rise up are frankly, sincerely nationalists”. Albizu Campos speaks serenely; but his words are dazzling with warm enthusiasm. We abandon the “tone” of interview and chat about some very pleasant topics: Vasconcelos, young intellectuals of Puerto Rico, Creole love, Russian ideology… The chocolate ice creams of “Fausto” were last night as pleasant as on Sunday. New measure of interview. It is 12 at night. -What are, in your opinion, the pragmatic lines that Ibero-Americanism should follow? -“We Ibero-Americans are fully convinced of the need to put into practice the immediate organization of Ibero-Americanism. This ideology that will restore the world hegemony of the Iberian race, requires the constitution of an international organization representative of all Ibero-American countries that functions outside the constituted governments, stimulating its action or detaining it, in accordance with the supreme conveniences dictated by the purposes that are pursued. It is time to stop generalisations on this subject. Once the Ibero-American federative organism of which we have spoken is established, we must proceed without delay to the realisation of specific ends. “Although Europe intends to exercise economic and cultural influence over Ibero-America, and would gladly enter into political interventions as well, if circumstances allowed it, its action does not constitute a danger for us, and is rather a counterweight to the influence of the United States of North America.” “It is imperative to study the North American penetration in the Colombian continent. North American interventions are military, economic, cultural and even religious. We have to cut them all off at the root.” “Ibero-Americanism will concentrate its attention on the territories most affected by this North American imperialism, and will dislodge it from the positions where it believes itself to be most secure, as in Puerto Rico and in other nations of the Caribbean and Central America. The case of Puerto Rico is a synthesis of the general situation. There is one of our most defined nationalities, of greater population density and a surprising industrial and commercial progress and organization. The United States has established an irresponsible regime of Government in Puerto Rico. The Administration, the courts and the legislation, all depend on the supreme will of the military man who occupies the post of Supreme Head of insular affairs in the Department of War of the United States, and who is exclusively responsible to the President of the North American Empire”. “The fact that in Puerto Rico, after twenty-seven years of North American occupation, a nationalist movement hostile openly to the colonial regime is consolidated, is indicative of the effect of that occupation. A systematic plan has been developed for collective dispossession, with Yankee latifundia absorbing the best lands of the country, the Government has handed over to North American Corporations the franchises that give them exclusive rights in the exploitation of all sources of wealth, of communications, and of finance, and a system of compulsory Public Instruction has been established, imposing the instruction of all subjects in the exotic English language, with the perverse purpose of destroying our Hispanic culture”. “Ibero-Americanism should concentrate its attention on the specific case of Puerto Rico, which summarises the general situation. North American politics presents itself in all its nakedness before this peaceful and defenceless people governed by the Yankee military boot”. -Do you believe that the omnipotent power of the United States will diminish? -“Until 1914, the United States was a debtor nation and nationals of England, France and other countries still own substantial interests located within its borders. The European war produced the defeat of all of Europe and Yankee financial hegemony. But that North American power, which is exercised in the crudest way to paralyze the economic life of competing nations or to subject consuming nations to exploitation, is necessarily transitory. It will be liquidated by the next world war”. My ice cream is melting. I listen attentively to Albizu Campos. -Which countries will you visit? -“I will travel through the nations of the Caribbean, Central and South America and if there is time, I will visit in this mission the Motherland Spain, where there are currently organizations of high influence in favor of our cause.” -Do you plan to establish any entity or organization in Santo Domingo that fights for the independence of Puerto Rico? -“I hope for the noble cooperation of all Dominicans to constitute a Dominican national board for the independence of Puerto Rico. I know that there is not a Dominican who is not willing to cooperate in this high purpose”. “Directors of the numerous Puerto Rican colony in this hospitable country, have indicated to me the convenience of establishing a nationalist board of Puerto Ricans pro-independence of the afflicted Homeland.” “Nothing more noble, and nothing else could be expected of the patriotic sentiments of my fellow citizens”. One o’clock. Two handshakes. Mateito’s rickety car drives me home. I think. I dream. There are dreams that are truly apotheosis…’ ALBIZU CAMPOS SPENT A FEW HOURS IN PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI THERE HE INTERACTED WITH THE LEADERS OF HAITIAN NATIONALISM “We have had the great pleasure of receiving the visit of Licenciado Albizu Campos, Vice-President of the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico and Director of the newspaper “El Nacionalista” which is published in Ponce. “Mr. Campos, delegate of the Puerto Rican people to the Ibero-American Republics and to Europe, comes from Santo Domingo where he has spent a few weeks and giving lectures on Yankee imperialism and on the need for the Latin peoples of this hemisphere to unite to put a brake on the ferocious appetites of the Ogre of the North. “In all his lectures he has spoken of Haiti and in favour of the evacuation of its territory. Here is the thesis that he has developed to interest the Dominicans and the other Hispanic-American peoples in our cause: “The evacuation of Haiti is a necessity for all the Ibero-American peoples, because if they do not help the Haitians liberally, spontaneously and without conditions, the Haitian people will have to seek with our enemies the support that we have not been able to offer them or give them. It is a matter of high politics to win the sympathy of Haiti by means of eloquent manifestations and feelings of friendship and justice that we feel for it”. “He has also spoken of the strategic situation of Haiti in the event that an action were to be undertaken against the Spanish peoples of this hemisphere, and above all he has made the Dominicans observe “that they have been granted the privilege of fulfilling a gesture of transcendent chivalry by helping Haiti without restriction against the Yankee invaders and making the Dominican Republic a centre of continental propaganda in favour of Haiti”. “Since his arrival, Mr. Albizu Campos made a visit to our friend and collaborator Pierre Paul, to whom he had been recommended by our delegate in Santo Domingo, the indefatigable and prestigious Enriquillo Henríquez García. After a long exchange of opinions with our collaborator on the situation of the Latin peoples of this hemisphere with respect to the United States of the North and on the need for a policy of “interpenetration” between all these peoples, to form a united and unique front and an insurmountable league for the moral and humiliating invasions of the Yankees, the distinguished visitor returned aboard the “Habana” on which he is travelling. “A quarter of an hour later, Mr. Pierre Paul, accompanied by our Director, to whom Campos had also been recommended, reciprocated his visit, and as the steamer, whose departure had been announced for 10 in the morning, was not to leave our port until noon, Mr. Jolibois and Mr. Pierre Paul insisted that he spend two more hours on land, which he accepted very kindly. “Mr. Campos, in the company of the two nationalist leaders, visited Mr. Victor Cauvin, Secretary General of the Patriotic Union, as the delegate administrator, Mr. Perceval Thoby, was on vacation; our colleagues of “Le Temps”, of “Nouvelliste” and of “L’Haitien”, our friend Dantés Bellegarde and the president and vice-president of the Haitian Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Edouard Estéve and Simón Vieux, respectively. He also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. I.C. Lherisson, president of the “League of Human Rights”, and Me. Pierre Hudicourt and Mr. Rouzier, Fr. Gaetjons and Blanchard. “An “honour champagne” was offered to him in the “Caves de Bordeaux” by the nationalist leaders Jolibois, Cauvin and Pierre Paul, in the name of the Patriotic Union and of the “Courrier Haitien”. “It was noon when the three leaders took the distinguished Puerto Rican on board and parted from him giving him a fraternal embrace. “Mr. Campos continues to Cuba, Mexico, Central America, South America, and Europe. He has insistently begged us to transmit this message to the Haitian people. “Learn Spanish if you want to defeat the Yankee ogre”. “He will not return to his Homeland, he has told us, until a year has passed, when he has finished in America and in Europe his mission of propaganda in favour of the independence of Puerto Rico. And he promised us to speak of Haiti wherever he has to defend the Puerto Rican cause. “Mr. Campos takes from Haiti a pleasant impression, prepared to deny all the lies that the unscrupulous American has published and continues to publish every week in Puerto Rico, where he is intent on making the Haitian pass as a semi-savage people. “In the course of his visit to our colleague “L’Haitien”, Mr. Campos was very pleased to receive as a gift from Dr. Pressoir a copy of the History of Haiti by Dr. C. Lorsinvil. “We renew our wishes for a good trip and fruitful work”. EXTENSIVE DETAILS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ALBIZU CAMPOS AT THE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF THE LATIN PRESS From our colleague “Heraldo de Cuba” we take the following information regarding the international congress of the Latin press held recently in Havana: “It was not necessary to wait long to reach the conclusion that this VII Congress of the Latin Press, which should constitute a strong link between the spirituality and the thought of the men who come from the same and old racial trunk, is of no importance whatsoever, and is, in short, nothing more than one of many reasons conducive to the promotion of tourism… The first contact with the realities that prick in the soul of the peoples, was enough to lift the veil behind which beautiful hopes were nourished. “Under the pretext of not addressing political issues (who is capable, gentlemen colleagues, of defining the scope and value of politics?), there is even fear of making a concise and definitive statement in favour of freedom of the press… Let us go to the chronicle. A REGULATION THAT COMES OUT OF THE NIGHT “The day before it had been agreed that none of the previous congresses had formulated either statutes or regulations governing the permanent functioning of such congresses. By virtue of this, it was appropriate to put the anti-interventionist motion to debate before the other Ibero-American delegations, which tends to the articulation of these statutes and regulations. The debate proceeds, and it turns out that M. Waleffe, a true thaumaturge, comes to maintain that there is an earlier regulation. And he even reads it out! ….. One, two, three, up to eight articles, contained in a manuscript. “An animated discussion arises. Many, although admiring this stupendous Mr. Waleffe who overnight has achieved what six previous congresses could not achieve, maintain their doubts about the authenticity of the document. The manuscript has the fresh ink left by the pen of the French journalist in a sleepless night… But how to doubt officially? This would be contrary to courtesy… So, as we know, there is a Constitution! A MOTION THAT SCANDALIZES THE FRENCH BEFORE BEING READ “Meanwhile, Pedro Albizu Campos, the tireless fighter for the freedoms of his Homeland: Puerto Rico, had formulated a series of bases -which we insert later- condemning the interventionist policy of the White House Government in the internal affairs of various Hispanic-American republics. The motion was already subscribed by Cuban, Hispanic-American, Belgian, Italian, etc. delegates, but before being read, upon being simply presented to the table, M. le Pétit, delegate of the “Pétit Parisién”, felt offended in the innermost part of his soul. His anger was such that it seemed that he had been outraged in his own person. We have seen not many days ago Mr. Hughes, President of an official delegation from North America, endure a true catilinaria of another diplomat -Mr. Alvarez, of El Salvador- without becoming the least bit unbalanced. But the pétit M. le Pétit could not bear that anything that transcended a censure towards the United States should even be mentioned… “In the blink of an eye the debate had become extremely violent about something that was not under discussion… Albizu Campos defends his right to have his motion read. Valdés de la Paz declares, emphatically, that if the Congress is not going to deal with vital issues for Latinity, it is better that it dissolve. The French insist on discussing what is not under discussion, making their claims in a way that seems more like a war ultimatum. President Lugo Viña strives to maintain order, refusing to grant the floor on a question that is not under discussion. Then some ten or twelve French-speaking delegates, spectacularly, leave the field… “And the President adjourns the session, so that in the afternoon the commissions may be constituted. TEXT OF THE ANTI-INTERVENTIONIST MOTION “The text of the resolutions and anti-interventionist propositions, signed as we say before by numerous American and European delegates, is as follows: “Number 1. Resolution. The Seventh Congress of the Latin Press energetically protests against the interventions of the United States in the affairs of the Latin American Nations, and urges the Latin Nations to maintain unaltered the principle of international law that imposes on each State the duty not to intervene in the affairs of another State. “Number 2. Resolution. The Seventh Congress of the Latin Press makes a solemn appeal to the entire world Press and especially to the Latin Press to maintain a systematic campaign against the occupation of the Republics of Haiti and Nicaragua by military and naval forces of the United States. “Number 3. Resolution. The Latin Press declares its solidarity with the legitimate aspirations of the Philippines and Puerto Rico to constitute themselves as free, sovereign and independent Republics, in accordance with the principle and the free determination of nationalities and protests against the military occupation of these nations by forces of the United States. “Number 4. Proposition. Newspapers or publications edited in Latin Nations that are in reality branches of newspapers or publications of non-Latin nations shall not have the right to take part in the Congresses of the Latin Press. “Number 5. Proposition. The Congress shall appoint a commission to formulate a system of world information exclusively for the Latin Press. “Number 6. Resolution. No seat shall be given in the Congresses of the Latin Press to Latin publications that support anti-Latin propaganda within our nationalities”. ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSIONS “In the afternoon, with the spirits calm, the work of the Congress was resumed. President Lugo Viña decreed a recess so that the four commissions could be organized, which will present opinions on the matters that correspond to them; opinions that will be considered in the plenary sessions. “All delegates can form part of these commissions, with the sole condition that they register. The procedure is broad and plausible. The delegates were distributed in various apartments of the Association of Reporters, seat of this complicated Babel, and proceeded to the election of the different directives of commission. “These were constituted in the following manner: First commission. In charge of promoting the constitution of a Latin Information Agency. “President: Benjamín Cohen; Vice-president: Marius Appelins and Juan A. Dennis; Secretary: Osvaldo Valdés de la Paz; Second Secretary: Paul Odet. “Second commission. University Exchange. “President: Antonio Iraizoz; Vice-president: Irene de Vasconcelos and Tomé Reis; Secretary: H. Brunimon. “Third commission. Statutes for professional journalists. “President: M. Bóugeon; Vice-president: Manuel Bedoya and Félix F. Palavincini; Secretary: Juan Sánchez Azcona. “The fourth commission could not be integrated. INTERESTING DEBATE IN THE FIRST COMMISSION “As soon as the first commission was constituted, its President Mr. Cohen read the following motion, which tends to strengthen the freedom of the press, whose rights legitimately enshrined by the whole world, are, however, violated at every step in almost all latitudes. TO THE CONGRESS “Those who subscribe, Delegates to the present Congress, have the honour of submitting to your high consideration, the following MOTION “Evidently that the true functional transcendence of the act that we attend cannot be limited to taking agreements of an adjective and ornamental nature, but rather the congressmen should advance to the medullary significance of each problem to be considered; it being also evident that in the current moments the universal press demands true definitions on the scope and the limitations of its social activities, it being unavoidable and immanent to the existence of the journalist function the freedom of “jure” and of “facto” of those who exercise such a high ministry, to fulfil correctly and serenely the ends and duties that their own function imposes on them, it is necessary before anything else to establish solid guarantees for those freedoms and to clearly define the constitutive factors of such freedoms. “By virtue of such reasons, we propose: “First: That the VII Congress of the Latin Press considers co-existent freedom with the function of the universal press. “Second: That the VII Congress of the Latin Press, by virtue of the previous declaration, address the governments of the countries represented in this Congress, requesting the declaration of the scope and the limitations of written thought in relation to the journalistic function. “Third: That the VII Congress of the Latin Press agrees and obtains its adoption by the expressed governments of the guarantee measures that protect “de facto” the freedom that “de jure” is granted to the press. “Fourth: That a “Permanent Commission” be created, integrated by five members of this own organism, that represents and makes valid the written rights of the Latin press in the cases of claim of sufficient probative value, using the solidary means that are within its reach, and that are in the obligation to provide if the principle of cooperation of which this Congress is informed is to have a practical and concrete reality”. Havana, March 8, 1928 R. Gárate, (It is also signed by numerous delegates). EVEN FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IS CAUSE FOR FEARS “When this motion is put to discussion, in general, the doubt arises as to whether it is within the powers of the Congress, and therefore of the Commission, to address this question, since the measures proposed may be considered as a political matter… Even freedom of the press causes fears to the distinguished tourists! “A new discussion is provoked, but as we are in family, it does not acquire the proportions of the morning. Particularly the European delegates, such as Mr. Appelius, Italian -fear causing displeasure to the governments, confessing that it is not possible to go very far since the congresses are always verified under the auspices of some government… Ah well! -exclaims a delegate little fond of interjecting in the discussions. “Sierra, Cohen, Roselló and Albizu take part in the debate, who is always energetic even against the Presidency. There is often talk of the statutes, and the question arises again: what part of the statutes or what statutes prohibit addressing these political issues? “In this arrives the miraculous Mr. Waleffe, ambulatory archive of the Congresses of the Latin Press, interpreter of the statutes and pythoness of the gods. “Mr. Waleffe explains that the prohibition to deal with political matters includes those cases in which it would not be possible for there to be an agreement among all Latin journalists, and gives as an example the interest that Colombian journalists may have in the Panama Canal… A delegate from Colombia tells us in our ear: “look, this good gentleman has not yet realised that Panama has not been an integral part of Colombia for many years…” And another declares to us: “I am leaving, this is a vagrancy…”. “Finally the motion is voted on, agreeing that it be passed for study. AGAIN THE INTERVENTIONIST QUESTION “President Lugo Viña had turned over to the first Commission the motion that was not read in the morning, against the interventions. Mr. Cohen is going to read it. He begins: “The VII Congress…”. protests energetically against the interventions of the United States…” And Mr. Appelius cannot contain himself. “No! It should not continue to be read. We are forbidden to touch on political matters” -he exclaims-. Albizu Campos is indignant, saying that it is not possible to curtail even the freedom to propose, which all delegates have; our technical director, Arturo Alfonso Roselló, as well as other Cuban delegates support Albizu, and President Cohen himself, contrary to the approval of the motion, believes that it should nevertheless be read. “Then another prior motion is presented, tending to the effect that they are not taken into account
the proposed resolutions, although, naturally, they must be read. “The first two resolutions, which we published before, are read and voted on separately. And even delegates who had formed the celebrated motion, vote for them not to be taken into account. “Voting in favor are only: Albizu Campos, Arturo Alfonzo Roselló, Osvaldo Valdés de la Paz, Juan Antiga, Ramón de Franche and Raúl Gárate… (It is convenient to note that many delegates are missing, among them the majority of the South Americans, the Central Americans, and the Mexicans).