Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-03-12
POLITICS IN
 PHiL|PP|NEs Plan on Foot Looking to the Removal of International < Politics in the new U. 5. Country.
 MANY QUESTIONS Have Caused It-NeutraIization Idea
 Something New-WouId Have to Be Agreed to ny Treaty Among the Leading Powers.
QUESTIONS
Special to the Graphic.

Special to the Graphic.
 Washington, D. C., March 12.-A plan looking to the removal of the Philippine islands forever from the field of international politics and ren- dering them neutral ground in the time of war has been suggested by one of the ablest lawyers on the Repub- lican side of the Senate. No subject is further from serious consideration at this time, probably, than the Phil ippines; yet there have been heard from time to time during the late ses- sion 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 between this country and Japan have caused some little discussion as Q the disposition of the Philippines. It 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 view of possessing them. It is cer- tain, however, that such an event would be far from welcome to the other powers.
 The naturalization of the Philip pines is brand new idea The dis tinguished senator who proposes this plan is not yet ready to exploit # publicly or to allow his name to be used in connection with the subject, saying that he has not yet thoroughly worked out the proposition in all it's details. To neutralize the island ac cording to the general plan proposed would be to make them of no advan- tage to any nation, even the United States in time of war, and to remove them as bone of contention among the nations of the world.
 The scheme rests on this basis: It
 
 of the principal powers of the world would rather see the Philippines in American hands than to see them possessed by any other nation except itself. Even England, it is believed, although an ally of Japan, would pre- fer that the Philippines remain Amer ican territory than that Japanese sov- 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 Philippines, fearing that the Jap anese would get possession of them. On the part of the United States, there presents itself the constant necessity of defending the islands. In the event of war with any other nation, es- pecially with Japan, it would become a very serious problem for the navy to furnish adequate defence for the Philippines and for the Pacific coast states, separated as they are by thous- ands of miles. If the islands were neutralized, every anxiety regarding them, except the problems of domestic government, would disappear.
 The naturalization scheme, in or der to be successful, would have to be agreed to, of course, by treaty among the leading powers It is not unlikely that an effort will made ultimately to bring the matter before The Hague tribunal for consideration.