Birds & Blanks

Justicia, a prize game cock of Puerto Rico, lost a handsome tail feather last week. Senator Rafael Martinez Nadal, the bird's proud owner, plucked it out, fashioned it into a quill, presented it to Governor Robert Hayes Gore as the instrument wherewith he might sign a bill legalizing cockfighting throughout the island. The first insular legislature in 1900 drove this popular Latin sport underground. There, as in the U.S., it continued to thrive. Governor Gore, who has enjoyed many a main as a boy in Louisville, Kentucky, brought it back to light as legitimate entertainment, even recommended an annual cockfighting carnival to attract tourists to Puerto Rico.

Governor Gore made more news last week when he announced that no one would be appointed to his insular Cabinet who refused to give him an undated resignation. He declared that his action was in line with President Roosevelt's, thus suggesting that his own resignation in blank was on file at the White House. With an eyebrow raised in surprise the Roosevelt Secretariat denied this.

First upshot of the Gore order was the angry withdrawal by the preponderant Liberal Party of all its candidates for the territorial Cabinet. Second was the appointment of Dr. Garrido Morales to be Health Commissioner, without signing himself out of office in advance.

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