WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 145

The CnarrmaN. Who is the next witness?
Mr. Moonr. The delegate from Porto Rico is here.

STATEMENT OF HON. FELIX CORDOVA DAVILA, THE RESIDENT
COMMISSIONER TO THE UNITED STATES FROM PORTO RICO

Mr. Davina. Mr. Chairman, I have a newspaper just received
from Porto Rico in which appears a letter addressed to our governor
by Mr, Rivera Santiago, part of which I should like to read to you
reading]:

In the 15th instant the United Press transmitted a news item relative to a
bill in Congress limiting immigration of the Western Hemisphere into the
United States, from which we learn that ‘‘ The original bill included Porto Rico
among the countries subject to quota. Johnson announces that the bill in
this respect will be duly corrected, in attention to the fact that Porto Ricans
are American citizens.

{ want to know if that is true, Mr. Chairman?
The CHARMAN. You see the map here on the wall? What is the
population of Porto Rico now?
Mr. Davina. Approximately about 1,500,000.
The CratrmAN. It is a heavy agricultural place?
Mr. Davina. Yes, sir; it is a heavy agricultural place.
The CuarrMaN. I am told it is the second heaviest agricultural
place for population in the world.
Mr. Daviva. TI believe so.
The Cuairman. It is exceeded only by the island of Java. Your
people are not prosperous?
Mr. Daviva. They are not.
The Crairman. Half a million are poor.
Mr. DaviLa. Without employment; at times there have been
about 400,000 idle, but during the present year there are that many
without employment.
The CuAalrMAN. In other words, nearly a third of the population
of American citizens in Porto Rico can hardly keep alive.
Mr. Davita. That is true.
The CuairmMaN. The movement from Porto Rico to New York
City is pretty large?
Mr. Davia. Yes, sir.
The CrairMaN. They have developed a charity condition in New
York, so that they are asking for help, getting on the charity rolls of
that city.
Mr. Davica. My information is that there is some unemployment
ons them, but I have not heard that charity conditions have
eveloped.
The CHAIRMAN. Are those who go to New York the ones with the
schooling? .
Mr, Daviza. Many of them have schooling.
The CuaIRMAN. Is it your opinion that many of them want to
get away?
Mr. Davina. As a matter of fact the people of Porto Rico do not
like to emigrate. They like to remain at home. They come to the
United States because it is almost impossible to live in Porto Rico
to-day, owing to the economic condition. But if we can develop