Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-03-16
TO NEUTRALIZE ISLANDS.
UNIQUE PLAN FOR PHILIPPINES
is PROPOSED.
Powers May Be Asked to Sign Treaty
Removing Them From Interna-
tionaI Politics.
specIal Correspondence.

DRt@tNf 80 . ~ pN'fAN
Washington, D. G. March ia
plan looking to the removal of the
Philippine islands forever from the
field of international politics and rem
dering them neutral ground in the time
OF war has been suggested by one of
the ablest lawyers on the republican
side of the senate. No subject is
further from serious consideration at
this time, probably than the Philip
pines; yet there have been heard from
time to time during the late session
of congress several expressions of
opinion as to the future policy of the
United States in the archipelago
The agitation Of the Japanese school
question in California, the proposed
exclusion of Japanese labor from the
United States, and the talk of war be-
tween this country and Japan have
caused some little discussion as to the
disposition Of the Philippines. 1t is
pretty generally believed that Japan
covets these islands, and that in case
of hostilities between the two coun-
tries the Japanese would concentrate
an attack on the Philippines with a
view of possessing them. It is certain,
/ however, that such an event would be
| far from welcome to the other powers
The naturalization OF the Philippines
! Is brand new idea. The distinguish
| ed senator who proposes this plan is
not yet ready to exploit 1t publicly or
to allow his name to be used in con-
nection with the subject, saying that
he has not yet thoroughly worked out
the proposition in all it's details. To
neutralze the islands according to the
genaral plan proposed would be to
make them of no advantage to any
! nation, even the United States, in
| time of war, and to remove them as a
bone of contention among the nations
of the world
The scheme rests on this basis; 1t
! is generally accepted that every one
of the principal powers of the world
would rather see the Philippines in
American lands than to see them pos
sessed by any other nation except
itself. Even England, it is believed
although an ally of Japan, would pre-
fer that the Philippines remain Amer
lean territory than that Japanese SOW
ereignty should be established there.
Germany would decidedly prefer that
the United States retain the islands
than that England should have them;
and so on through the list of the great
powers. If the United States should
go to war with Japan the world would
be anxious about the fate of the Phil
| ippines, fearing that the Japanese
would get possession OF them On the
part of the United States, there pre-,
sents itself the constant necessity of
defending the islands. In the event
of war with any other nation, especi-
ally with Japan, it would become a
very serious problem for the navy to
| furnish adequate defence for the Phil
ippines and for the public coast states,
separate as they are by thousands of
miles. If the islands were neutralized,
every anxiety regarding them, except
the problems of domestic government,
would disappear.
The naturalization scheme, in order
to be successful, would have to be
agreed to, of course, by a treaty
among the leading powers. 1t is not
unlikely that an effort will be made
ultimately to bring the matter before
the Hague tribunal for consideration