Evening star., 1915-01-08
DOUBTS JAPANESE
WANT PM |PP|NES
W. Morgan Shuster Believes
They Would Welcome Treaty
to Neutralize Islands.

W. Morgan Shuster. for eight years
an American official in the Philippines
before becoming an international fG-
ure in the financial affairs of Persia,
today told the Senate Philippines COM
mittee he believed Japan would be
glad to enter into a treaty with the
United States to neutralize the islands.
Mr. Shuster could not conceive of any
foreign power attempting the conquest
of the Philippines after the withdrawal
of the United States.
There was an unwritten Monroe doc
trine in the far east maintained by
japan he said which would make that
nation oppose the entry of any other
power into the Philippine group.
1T is my opinion Japan does not want
the Philippines" said he. land would
be glad to enter into neutrailzaton
treaty for their protection on our with
drawal"
Vast Territory Undeveloped.
Japan, he said. had vast territory OF
her own undeveloped, and Japanese
colonization of the Philippines was
highly improbable now or in the dis
taut future because of climatic and eco
nomic conditions.
He believed a naturalization treaty
with Japan would be sufficient. ous
that all nations might be asked 70
join in it with advantage Ihe even.s
Of the last six months in Europe. ne
said made him believe such treaty
would be respected.
"A strong power has violated the law
of nations there" he said. and rs sur
fering, and will continue to suner. Tor
it. There has been a qutckening OF the
moral sense among nations. believe
that is shown by the shock with which
the world received the violation OF Bel,
~ Ara1f a ohd
treaties in future would be more bind.
ing than in the past and not looked
upon as scraps of paper.
Admits Changing Opinion.
Senator Lippitt contrasted statements
by Shuster published several years
ago opposing the independence of the
islands with articles recently pub
lished by him taking the opposite view
Shuster replied it was true he had
changed his opinions. Eight years as
government official In the ISLANDS.
he said, had tinged him with the
thought of those with whom he worked.
Since that time he had seen other
people, and was now convinced that
the Filipinos could maintain govern
ment satisfactory to themselves ana
give reasonable assurances to the rest
Of the world of order and protector
of foreigners. That a government ideal
from American standards. was to be
expected was not to be Imagined
Americans, he declared. were incapa-
BILE of establishing a successful gov
ernment under German standards, and
Argentina, he added. maintained
successful government. not. however,
up to American standards and ideals.
Shuster favored the administration
bill for a greater measure of self-gov-
ernment and urged that 1t include
some definite promise of complete In
dependence.
May Never Get Freedom.
"I predict that II the United States
retains the islands and gives no den-
mite promise of Independence for
twenty-five years more. they Will
never be given their freedom. said he
Newton w. Gilbert formerly vice
governor general of the islands, Ia
vored the bill SO far as It granted ad-
ditional powers to the Fflipinos. but
disapproved the declaration as to inds-
pendence.