The Washington herald., 1917-10-02


Treatment accorded the people of
the Philippine Islands by your Uncle
Samuel has not been in vain.
For in the mammoth struggle into
which this country has en;r red it has
the support of the Fill mos. even
Erim-visaScd. cunning but now thor
ougly loyal Aguinaldo. whose name
was once in the headlines as our Bit
ter enemy.
News of a gathering recently held
at Manila at which Aguinaldo was a
prominent figure and at which his
former chief OF staff made a speech
expressing his sentiments, has just
reached members of the Philippine
committee of both the House and
Senate. SpeaEine for himself and for
ACuinaldo. Gen. Venancio Conception
said:
America. ever loyal to her demo-
cratic traditions, drenched our soil
with the blood of her sons for our
redemption. Now 1t is high time for
us TO repay that sacred obligation by
shedding our blood on the European
frontiers, inasmuch as America has
gone to war. not with the selfish de-
sire for gain or conquest. but in the
utltllsC VI lllc "tdh'l NOuilNi oA4N
OF her principles OF democracy which
have brought US untold benefits.
"You. my dear comrades of arms
and fatigues, who have shown on the
battlefields under the command of
our Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, examples
of discipline. daring and indomitable
courage; you who forgetting the
sweetness of hme and the caresses
of your families, have willingly Of
fered your lives to the call of duty;
you who are patriots in fact and not
in word alone. when duty calls you
again, arise like one man and show
once more to the world that YOU know
how to die in a just cause"
Long ago the Filipinos offed this
country a full division of 5000 men
approximately who would go at
Uncle Sans call to where the fight
ing Is the thickest The men are
drilled and ready for action. and the
reports here are that they are eager
to repay the debt which they say
they owe this country for !ts con-
sideration in settlement of the many
problems which faced the islanuL
after the insurrection and rebellion
following the Spanish-American war.
The bill passed something over a
year ago by Congress giving the Fill
pinos a greater degree of self-govern-
ment. and fulfilling part of the pledge
the American people made after as
! sumption of the protectorate. has
been gratefully accepted by the little
PEOPLE, and they are making gratify-
ing headway under its provisions.
Philippine Commissioners Theodore
r. Yangko and Jaime c. de Veyra
state that progress in the islands has
been very satisfactory under the new
form OF government which went into
effect there October 16. last year
They say that the war desire of their
fellow Filipinos is not at all exag-
gerated.
I'VE are ready to do our share to
help this country" they said. You
have helred us. we want to help you.
Early acceptance of the Philippine
| proffer is expected now that Secre-
tary Baker is said to have become
insistent that provision for such ac-
ceptance be made before Congress
concludes its work of the extra scs-
sion. Ever since the proffer Of aid
| was made Congress has been awaiting
! the War Departments decision be-
fore acting. Now that that has come
it is believed that no opposition will
| be offered.
1t was thought for time that
members Of the House Insular Affairs
Committee and the Philippine Com
mite of the Senate. would be able
to take trip to the islands as the
guests Of the legislature there. Such
an invitation was received some time
ago, and was temporarily pigeon
holed only so that the members
might see how long they would be
kept at work here, and whether or
not there would be a recess of suf-
fcient length to enable them to make
the round trip from here to the prin-
cipal towns Of the islands. The latest
statement of Senator Hitchcock and
Representative Jones, the chairmen
Of the two bodies, is that the invita-
tion will likely be accepted next sum-
mer, IL war problems do not compel
tn