The daily morning oasis., 1919-06-15
MORE WARS IN EUROPE Than EVER
PHILIPPINE
MEMORIAL

| WASHINGTON, June 14,-"It i.
for the best interest of both the I'm
tied States and the PHILIPPINES that
the independence of the latter coun-
try be recognized at this time"
This was the keynote of the request
of the PHILIPPINE Mission for an I'M
mediate and final solution of the Phil
ippine problem, made before a joint
meeting of the Philippine Committee
of the Senate and the Jnsular Affairs
Committee of the House, which was
called specially to receive the memoir
.al and arguments of the representa-
tives of the Philippine government
ard the Filipino people.
Manuel L. Quezon, President of the
Philippine Senate and chairman OF
the Philippine Mission, presented the
memorial, and declared that the Fill
pino people would be "soreiy disap-
pointed" if independence was not
granted soon. He declared that the
Filipino people had no fear that ia
pan had designs upon the Islands, and
We're perfectly willing to accept in
dependence either with or without
guarantee of protection by the United
States, as the latter might think best.
Francis Burton Harrison, for six
years Governor General of the Philip
pines, urged that Congress carry out
its promise of independence. He
said that the people in his opinion
were fully able t. in'yntair a stable
government. He declared the Fill
pino officials were as intelligent ana
trustworthy as any men he had ever
met anywhere in the world
The memorial was "a formal petit
ton that the sovereignty of the Fill
pino people over the Philippine Is
lands be recognized by the United
States without further delay.
"Such STEP" declared the petit
tion, "will insure the maintenance OF
firm and lasting friendship between
the two peoples. and will foster the
free development of their commercial
relations in the future; it will place
on high level the honor of America
by the fullfilment of her repeated
promises to grant freedom to the Fill
pino people, and thus perpetuate IN
the hearts of the Filipinos the senti-
ments of gratitude ana aIIection
which they now entertain towards the
American people.
"It is confidently hoped and believ-
ed that the Congress will not suffer
this opportunity to pass by at time
when the whole world is SO anxious to
establish international relations upon
newer and more solid foundations of
universal justice and liberty. Amer
lea has constituted herself, and has
justly been recognized, as the cnam-
pion of the rights of humanity in the
present war, and due in great meas
ure to her heroic efforts and generous
aid, the world has been saved from
the thraldom of greed and oppression,
and the rights of the small and weak
nations to exist in like hammer as the
great nations, vindicated.
"The reception of the indepen-
dence of the Philippines at this time
will constitute an object lesson to the
whole world in respect of the lofty
and altruistic aims which have
prompted America to take part in the
great war, for it will furnish prac-
tical application of the doctrine pro-
claimed by her of giving to all peo-
pies the right of self-determination
"For the first time in the history
of colonial relations subject and
alien race comes to ask the sever
ance of their political connection with
the sovereign nation without re-
counting any act of injustice done to
them and demanding reparation there
fore; but rather with a feeling of
gratitude and affection, and with the
object and for the purpose of
Strengthening the bonds of moral and
material union which have bound the
two peoples together in an endeaver
to establish the reign of justice, de.
mocracy and peace in the world.
"1t is, therefore, our purpose to
base our petition not on the IN.
Justice which might be found by rea-
son of the forced subjection of the
Filipinos, but on the justice of our
claim that the national sovereignty
of our people be fully recognized, in
order that we may freely fulfill our
mission and contribute to the spread