A
Yes, um, I was wondering whether you were in favor of statehood, independence, or the status quo for Puerto Rico.
B
I was a resident, although very young of the sta-, of what is now the state of Alaska in nineteen fifty-nine when Alaska stopped being a territory and became a state. Uh, so I guess I have a left over positive feeling about the question even though I don't know very much about Puerto Rico. Uh, I know that all the things that happened, relative to that territory in Alaska have been very positive, uh, and I have a suspicion that, that I believe that a, the statehood is a good idea whenever you have a territory the size of Puerto Rico one ought either to make it a full-fledged state or, or let it go, one or the other. What is your situation?
A
Well, I'm, I guess I don't have su-, such close experience with, with, um, an area becoming a state as you do. Um, my concern is the economy because as I understand it Puerto Rico has a very low sta-, uh, standard of living or at least, um, annual average income. Um, part of this I suppose is justified in, in that the climate they don't need, perhaps, the heating and the housing that some of the more northern territories need. However, in that case, I guess I would favor status quo. I have been to Puerto Rico and, and found it very, very interesting. I did Peace Corps training there.
B
Oh that's very interesting.
A
And so, um, you know, I saw it, also as a young student and, and it was very foreign in a certain sense, although I had grown up in California and so the Spanish was no problem. Um, it was, it was, you know, very lovely and, and the people seemed very friendly and, and nice. I have, actually, I work with, uh, a girl from Puerto Rico and, I guess I have never thought to ask her what she favors, um.
B
Your concern on the economy was one in terms of, if it became a state would that put even more pressures on, on Puerto Rico, or pressures on the U. S. in terms of aid or,