The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-10-12

Opinion Divided In u. 5. on Military
Value of Islands.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The R~eformer.)
Copyright
WASHINGTON. Oct. 12.-Tokio ca
bles saying Japan would like to bring
up the status of the Philippines when the
conference on Far Eastern questions is
held here next month has brought out
several informal expressions of opinion at
this end which indicate that even that
problem will not be insuperable.
The Japanese contention that Amer
lean Notifications are regarded by Japan
as purely offensive is not seriously re-
garded in Washington where a division
! of opinion has always prevailed as to
the real value of fortifying the arehi-
pelago. One set of military men in our
government thinks all money being spent
only because the United States does not
intend to become a military nation and
OF course viii never keep an army over
seas big enough to Justify the mainten-
ance of Notifications but because the
Philippines are accessible to an attack
ing army from too many places.
American Opinion Divided
! 81 Inc StIlbUi Vi army "lAtouShl bNtACfNo
that any Qualifications which are i~neffect-
i've had better be given up and that re-
| ciprocally Japan might be induced to
| stop fortifying some of the Pacific Is
lands under her control. Those Amerl-
: can military and naval men who favor
jarge Notifications in the Philippines ar
que that even admitting that the Phil
ppines cannot be defended from an ex-
1 peditionary attack of considerable size.
t would be helpful to the United States
20 be able to hold the Philippines in an
emergency until the navy could bring re-
nforcements. 1t is further cOntended
hat Manila could be used effectively as
I naval base.
Here again the question of how large
4 feet the United States would AVE to
maintain or rather can afford to maintain
n the Pacific. comes into discussion.
With the American navy divided between
he Atlantic and Pacific, the building of
1 naval base simply to care for the yes
;els now in the Pacific is not considered
altogether sound. On the other hand,
IN immense expenditure would be re
ruired for a really large naval base Sufh-
lent to do the work expected of the
american navy in an emergency in the
Far East.
So there is a divergence of view. even
among our own military and naval ex-
perts as to What ought to be done about
4 certifying the Philippines, n 1T would
not be surprising to see our own delega-
ion finally persuaded to offer to halt
'Urther military expense in the Philip
pines if the Japanese curtailed their ma
val and military program too.
Not Likely to Get independence
As for the suggestion from Toxic that
the Philippines might be given their in
dependence and placed under interna-
tional control, that of course is a do
| nestle question which the United States
need not discuss with the japanese. The
prevailing view inside the Harding ad-
ministration is thai the FilipinoS are not
vet ready to be cast off to shift for them
selves and that it would be best for the
Filipinos if America retained a guiding
hand for a while longer. Great Britain
incidentally would not be happy to see
the principle of self-determination
| adopted so close to India and there are
other powers with Far Eastern posses
sions which would prefer to see the sta
tus quo maintained with respect to the
Philippines.
There is good ground for the belief that
the japanese themselves are divided upon
the question of advantage or disadvan-
tage to Japan in the grant of independ-
Fence by the United States to the people
of the islands. Commercially Japan has
lprofitted Immensely by Americas psses-
sion of the Philippines. Not only has a
big tourist travel been developed which
lalwayS includes Japan on any trip to the
Philippines, but the trade of Japan with
the Philippines has grown by leaps and
bounds since the United States took over
the islands from Spain.
May Get Representation
The Philippine commissioners here are
anxious that the United States govern
ment include them as members of the ar
mament conference in some advisory way
SO that when the interests of the Fill
pinos people are discussed their repre-
sentatives may be present at least to
learn what is going on. They want to
be consulted. The probabilities are that
if they make a formal request for such a
status it may be granted as there is no
particular objection to it among liberal
minded officials who see in the move an
act of courtesy to the Philippines which
are an integral part of the whole Far
Eastern problem.