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Hodge Explains Stand
On Virgin Islands Code

Yes! let us pass the Code, they say. I say pass what? Pass what! To tie the hands of your own people and put them in jail unintentionally? No, Mr. President.

We can make promises, but if those promises are going to do harm to the people of these Virgin Islands, we got to change our course because those are the people to whom we have promised to represent in this legislature.

I feel, and I sincerely think, that your ruling on this question should be considered and reconsidered very carefully. You should contemplate upon it and think wisely about and meditate upon it, Mr. President, because, as I say we (by your ruling) in passing this Code into law, can do the people of these Virgin Islands a lot of harm.

Now, Mr. President, do not tell me that any member of this legislature would wish to pass legislation that will provide that the citizens of this community (if they are walking down this waterfront highway--must walk towards the side of the sea? Mr. President, I am sure that each and every member of this legislature would first want to amend that provision before enacting the Code into law.

Mr. President, there are twenty-five such dangerous provisions in the Code that could be pointed out. I have only pointed out one, Mr. President. There are many, many others (and I say) the Code--the Virgin Islands Code--is a matter that should be carefully considered.

Mr. President, our people have been under the American Flag, and have been living without codification of laws for the past number of years, and not a single one of them would die because the Code is not passed today by the Legislature. They will die their regular, natural deaths. But, not because the Code is not passed.

Why the desire to force upon the people of these islands a code that can possibly destroy the people?