The Pittsburgh Press (January 18, 1947)
Background of news –
Another state or two?
By Bertram Benedict
This year, 1947, may be the first in 35 years in which a new state comes into the Union. In his 1946 annual message President Truman urged that Hawaii be made the 49th state at once, and Alaska the 50th whenever its people showed they wanted statehood. A referendum in Alaska in October 1946 went 2 to 1 for statehood.
This year, the President in his annual message failed to repeat those recommendations. But a number of bills for admitting Hawaii already have been introduced in Congress this year. There seems to be some sentiment in Congress for Alaskan statehood also. But statehood for Puerto Rico may be something else again.
Never before has so long a period as 35 years elapsed between the admission of states. The longest previous hiatus was 15 years, between the entrance of Missouri in 1821 and that of Arkansas, in 1836. Between 1816 and 1821 a new state was admitted every year.
Only three members of the present Congress – Sen. McKellar and Reps. Sabath and Doughton – were members when Arizona became the 48th state, 35 years ago this coming February 14. Arizona and New Mexico were to have come in together, but in 1911 President Taft vetoed the resolution for joint admission because the Constitution submitted by Arizona provided for recall of judges.
Requirements are few
The only requirements in the Constitution covering statehood are that the federal government guarantee each state a republican form of government, and that no state’s territory may be divided into new states without its consent. Otherwise Congress is free to set the terms for admitting a new state.
The usual requirements are that its inhabitants have shown desire for statehood, that it have enough population to support a state government, that its people have shown capacity for self-rule. Usually Congress authorizes a convention to draft a constitution, which is then to be approved by popular referendum. It is usual also for the new state to have had the previous status of a territory.
However, this procedure has had its exceptions. Six states were admitted without congressional authorization of a constitutional convention. Texas was admitted without having been a territory; it was authorized, if it chose, to divide its territory into five states.
West Virginia was carved out of Virginia during the Civil War without the consent of Virginia. And Nevada was admitted in 1864 with a population of only about 7,000.
Location not a barrier
There has been hesitation about admitting Hawaii and Alaska because they do not adjoin any present state. But Louisiana was not contiguous to any other state when admitted in 1812, and when California was admitted in 1850, the nearest other state was Texas.
The population of Hawaii, over half a million, is larger than that of any state at the time of admission except Oklahoma. Alaska has a population of about 75,000, with whites slightly predominating in numbers over Eskimos and Indians.
Puerto Rico has a population of almost two million; that would entitle her as a state to six members of the national House of Representatives – more than 17 other states have at present. The 1944 Democratic platform supported “eventual” statehood for Hawaii and Alaska, only self-government for Puerto Rico; the 1944 Republican platform visualized ultimate statehood for all three.