Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-26
Must Wait Until
NeWGeneratlOn
Is Taught Self
Government.
ny G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

Succincf1y and without
" qualification, Senator Thomas
4 Sterling of South Dakota
preparedness of the Filipinos for
complete independence. Senator Ster-
ling has just returned to the United
States following a trip to the Philip
ptne Islands. Hawaii and China in
hcompany with other members of Con-
tgress- During his weeks stay in the
philippine Islands the South Dakota
6enator gave careful attention to the
Philippine questionable question as
to whether the islanders should
be given Independence without fur
being = legislator. is an educator of
standing and was dean of the law
Sech0ol Of tho state university before
coming to tho Senate.
Gives Three Reasons
Three reasons are given for his ver-
Gdiet in the matter Of Philippine indie
pendence by Senator Sterling:
I. Tho great mass of the F1lipinos
are not yet prepared for independence
-notw outstanding the great strides
they have made since the United
States took possession of them. TWEEN
ky-two years ago.
Z To lift the protecting hand of the
United States at present and make
The islands Independent in the present
unsettled condition of world affairs
would be to endanger the peace of
mo world-it might lead to an effort
ION the part Of another world power to
Nominate the islands. an effort that
hwould surely be resented by the peo-
eple of the United States.
8. The Philippine Islands are the
gateway to the orient for the COM
merce of the United States. Tremen-
Sdous opportunities for trade with
kChina lie, open to the American mer-
}chants-the surface of this trade has
yet only been scratched
Thinks Agitation Unfortunate.
Senator Sterling, when talked with
Ehim at the Capitol regarding the agi-
.tation for the independence Of the is
a1ands. said that he believed the agi-
ftation was particularly unfortunate
at this time.
IF we should declare the Philippine
Islands independent now he said.
~the actio might endanger the peace
Of the world again. There are other
powers that would like to possess
the islands. with their resources and
would be unfortunate for the Fill
pinos themselves if they were COB
bled up by some powerful nation
after they had set up a government
Of their own. 1t would inevitably
lead to war in which the United
States would be involved. While the
United States retains actual possess
sion of the islands there is no dan
ger that others will seek to acquire
them"
Senator Sterling pointed out. too.
that the possession of the islands,
with the powerful defenses which
have been established there by the
United States adds to the offensive
strength of this country should it be-
come involved in a war. say, with
Japan.
Element OF war Strength
I'VE would regard the establish
ment Of a Japanese naval station at
a point on the Mexican coast as a
menace to the United States and an
element of strength for the Japanese
should there ever be war between the
two countries" he said. TT is just
as true that the possession of the
Philippine Islands is an element of
strength for the United States in the
event Of such a war"
Senator Sterling said that he had
become convinced during his stay in
the islands that the great mass of
She people have no conception as
yet of the principles of a democratic
free government, such as that Of the
United States. They are not yet suf-
ficiently educated, nor have they been
sufficiently inculcated with the virus
of republican and democratic institu-
tions.
II drove through the Filipino section
of Manila and out into the nearby