We include in our West Indies possessions not only some of the Virgin Islands, but Porto Rico. Porto Rico, however, is no more American today than when we first went to the island. But the Virgin Islander welcomes the United States. The circumstances attending the purchase and transfer of the islands were most auspicious, and we foresee only the happiest outcome from the relations between the natives and the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY READING
| THE VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | By Luther K. Zabriskie |
| THE VIRGIN ISLANDS | By T. H. N. de Booy and J. T. Faris |
| DANISH WEST INDIES | By W. C. Westergaard |
MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF VIRGIN ISLANDS
When Mr. E. M. Newman, who is now in Europe, returns, he will bring pictures and information that will mean a great deal to all the readers of The Mentor. Mr. Newman had intended to resume his South American series—which has been appearing in The Mentor—and was about to sail to the southern continent when he was summoned to Washington and commissioned by the United States Government to go over and make a special study of war conditions in England, France, and Italy. Mr. Newman’s objective is not the trenches—there are plenty of war correspondents and battle photographers. His mission is a distinctly new and important one. He is to make a record, in pictures and text, of the living conditions of the people in war time as he observes them in the allied countries. When he returns, this material will be put at once before the public in a series of lectures, the purpose being to make clear to Americans just what war means to those that are not “out there,” but are doing their bit in the home city, town, village, or farm district. Naturally, this material will have tremendous vital interest to all of us in the United States who are watching and wondering what war is going to mean in our daily lives and occupations. “I hope particularly,” said Mr. Newman, “to illustrate the conservation of human power that makes possible the release of able bodied men to the war with the least disturbance to commerce. The object is to bring back to the United States a graphic presentation of what can be done and what should be done to permit us to utilize every ounce of our strength for the successful prosecution of the war.”
The Mentor will publish Mr. Newman’s material in three articles, entitled “England in War Time,” “France in War Time,” “Italy in War Time.” We expect to have these important articles ready for publication in the Fall—the dates will depend upon the time of Mr. Newman’s return. On the opposite page we print some interesting information just received from him.