Pedro Albizu Campos upon returning to Puerto Rico after his propaganda trip through Latin America. 1930.
“HERE IT WILL BE ELUCIDATED WHAT ARE THE PLANS AND ATTITUDE OF THE UNITED STATES TOWARDS THE PEOPLES OF OUR RACE”, SAID ALBIZU CAMPOS AT THE BANQUET IN HIS HONOR
On Saturday, at nine o’clock at night, the banquet in honor of Lcdo. Pedro Albizu Campos organized by several friends and sympathizers of the nationalist leader, took place at the “Hotel Palace”. Around fifty diners of all affiliations and coming some from various towns on the island such as Ponce, Fajardo, Naguabo and Manatí, gathered around the table presided over by the honoree, Mr. Albizu Campos, Mr. Lope Bello, Mr. José P. Berríos and the Toast Director, Mr. Luis Antonio Miranda. The back wall was adorned with the Puerto Rican flag. After a copious menu, the act began. The Toast Director gave a brief speech talking about Mr. Albizu’s nationalist campaign throughout Latin America and immediately announced Mr. Lope Bello. Mr. Lope Bello’s speech was one of the happiest we have heard from the distinguished Venezuelan. He referred to the fact that Puerto Ricans had never been so united in ideals and yet were divided in their public actions. He quoted a phrase from Washington that justified Puerto Rico’s attitude in claiming its political rights. His words were warmly applauded. The Toast Director read several adhesions from Dr. Ramón Lavandero, Lcdo. Fulgencio Piñeiro, Lcdo. Samuel R. Quiñones and other telegrams from the island. Then Lcdo. José S. Alegría, Don Epifanio Fernández Vanga, who read a quatrain, Lcdo. R. Sancho Bonet, Lcdo. Rafael Díaz Cintrón, Mr. Arturo Gallardo, Manuel Rivera Matos, Fernando Sierra, Ortiz Lecodet, Lcdo. Cruz Horta, Mr. Modesto Gotay, Mr. Alberto Núñez and the young Gilberto Concepción, from the University of Puerto Rico, took the floor. Upon the announcement of Mr. Albizu, the attendees stood up and paid him a prolonged applause. The honoree delivered an eloquent speech for two and a half hours analyzing in great detail the internal situation of the United States, the problems of Puerto Rico and the dangers that threaten Latin America. Mr. Albizu began by saying that that act filled him with satisfaction and that for another man it would be a reason for pride and vanity. “But it is the duty of all those who possess a grain of wisdom to put it at the service of their fellow men because that does not belong to us but is a patrimony of Providence. Besides, we are facing the Patria’s tragedy to dwell on personal minutiae.” He then entered into a detailed analysis of the situation in South America, saying that this continent was the object of universal greed. The invaders tried to exercise a hegemony over all cultural, and then commercial, values. First, they try to get close to the intellectual element and then to the people. For this work of conquest they count on a series of institutions, many of them of perverse charity, with which they intend to dazzle the invaded peoples. “Puerto Rico is the most integrated nationality on the continent in the ethnic and cultural sense, we have the most homogeneous, noble and intelligent mass in America. But we also have the most rotten directing class in the entire continent. “Our island condition is a postulate of independence because Nature per se has made us free. Islands have always been in history the most indomitable territories and we have the example in ourselves that despite thirty years of Yankee colony we have preserved our personality intact despite the fact that our political sovereignty has not been recognized. “Our weakness lies in not capitalizing on that unitary force, the product of our ethnic and cultural ties. We go from embraces to separations and from fraternal understandings to fratricidal hostility. My wife has had a phrase to judge this situation: (the attendees stood up) ‘We play at divisions when we are indivisible.’” He then made an analysis “of the imperialist system that has a few institutions with disguised purposes to surprise the good faith of the peoples that fall under its influence.” “The United States today has a complete record of all the oil and mining territories of South America. And behind the Red Cross or the Rockefeller Foundation goes the company requesting some concession from the Government. Why does the Rockefeller Foundation not exercise its charity in New York, where there are four million human beings living in the most deplorable conditions of misery? It goes to Latin America because in the continent there are rich oil zones.” Referring to the situation of Puerto Rico he said: “I have lamented the fall of the coalitionist President of the Chamber. It was a proper opportunity for him to face the Power and be whipped in the face from La Fortaleza. The United States wants to surrender the island’s intellectual community. Many young people, due to the impoverishment of the country, have to betray themselves and take refuge in the shadow of the budget in order not to starve. It is necessary at all costs to avoid this forced demoralization of the youth.” To the university students he addressed the following message: “The young people who are currently studying at the University should not engage in active politics, they need their energies for study. Of course they should have a patriotic sentiment, but now, they should not be distracted. Their duty is to prepare themselves, to become competent so that later they can defend their country with the powerful weapons of knowledge. The young man who, being able to be a brilliant student, is mediocre is not a good patriot.” “There is no state in the American Union comparable to us in ethnic homogeneity, in culture, and with a history so rich in luminous pages. We abolished slavery without shedding a drop of blood, we gave illustrious soldiers like Valero and Rius Rivera to the cause of the independence of America. We have contributed sentimental values to Hispano-American culture, in our Homeland Morell Campos was born, who was the first musician in America. We gave to Dr. Stahl, one of the most notable botanical wise men of the continent. Fortunately, the personality created by these men of culture has not disappeared and this is a barrier that defends us against the plans of conquest of the invader. Puerto Rico raises the most beautiful case in America, because here in the waters of the Caribbean it will be elucidated what are the plans and the attitude of the United States towards the peoples of our race. “Puerto Rico could use the Pan American Union and the League of Nations as forums to claim its right to be a free people. The Resident Commissioner should not accept his post and should remain in Puerto Rico. What do we want a deaf-mute representative for? This would be an effective way to create a difficult situation for the United States and to draw the attention of the world to the case of Puerto Rico. Then we would raise our problem in the field of international relations, which is where we should raise our case. “The problem of our independence depends on our will. The present generation has a grave historical responsibility to fulfill either to prolong the colony or to adopt a gesture of worthy men. Above all we must defend our personality because we are the most defined nationality in America.” A prolonged ovation was paid at the end of his speech. The honoree received multiple congratulations and embraces after his resounding speech. The act ended at two thirty in the morning.
By M. RIVERA MATOS