New-York tribune., 1922-06-23
Harding Defers
independence
For rFhipinos
..nirations Toward Sow.
ereignty Commended. but
1 Policy of Predecessors
Still Will BE Followed
difference Only of Date
President Also Hints That
Desire for Complete Sep
aration May Yet Subside

vlsHINGTON. June 22.-Although
,.-n,nding Philippine aspirations
:. ,,sependenee and complete self
..,,,,isr,y, President Harding to-day
lid 70 the Philippine parliamen-
,,1 mission that "the time is not yet
q, ;r5ependenee.'
-, Presidents statement was made
a., remhers OF the commission who
~. r,ek presented 10 him the Fiji
n.,.' argument and plea for sepa-
.olitical existence. The policy OF
2" S,iristration. Mr.. Harding said.
~ ~ follow along the lines laid down
-. predecessors in the White
80 notably President Mckinley. an.
.. w.om the Fiiipinos were freed
.ron Spain. s.., r.. .~
...i,.tions. with shared pride in your
bs..rsn,orts. with gratitude for your
.--.',v. with reiterated assurance that
ssn -.ssn 10 hold no people under the
~. rso DO not rejoice in that rela-
.ssship. must say 10 you tnat the
Nv, IS not yet for independenee'
80 the President. can imagine
/. ssnt.nued progress which VIII make
-. bonds either easy TO sever or
.,v,t them more firmly because you
III +. 20 be so. We must await that
Development. -,
yo Backvard Step Contemplated
"a. this time II is not for me to
,-egsst the day. distant or near.
r,sa,while. I can only renew the proven
A.1- '..r,srees of our good intentions, our
,sss-s - BE- helnful without eXacting
80 s ..o,,r nriva-c or public purse, or
~ ..v..Ic.;rg the freedom under which
-,s and peoples aspire and aenleve'
10 backward step IS contemplate. no
I-inution of your domestic contT0i
!, N be sought. Our relation 10 your
5,res;ic affairs is that OF an unseinsn
s.ro,ior which IS born OF our ialth
!, onering 20 you the way oi foet'y
el which you dream. ...-,.t =
SON censorship IN internatlonal al
.,,,s ;s rejected IN the common nag
.Sish is urfurled for you As u IS uh-
800 .or US. and security IS your
,..i NJ A.oerican relationship. ,.
If+er reviewing American ADMINS
$500 NJ the Philippine Islands the
s..,iJe,4 conr.C -ded the flliplnos on
49, successful establishment oil
working government.
Question Only Of Time
r,s, commend the Philippine aspi-
ntons 20 independence ana eon'P.e;td1 pa
sl.sovereienty,' the fresluen. 80 ho
sSsre in America would wish you 20 pc
,,hout national aspirations ou "oul1
n unstted for the solemn ou'ivs -
..v.govornment without them II -
-, n assume that our only oiHeIenoe
- ,sinion relates TO the time for inos
,,-!,nce. You crave u now ana ! ~
=. believe the time mas arriFeu '0'
&, knsl decision -. .hu.
p,tsident Harding said tnaV' ptN.';r
5, believed the majority OF the nI.,p
,.s citizenship preferred seeer~"ov roanv
"a self f-sovereignty, there WeI ,, 49,
Iasng the populace oi o'ne''"s ''
~ American mission Of inves,lga5i
a., =" vp Harding said, paid unstin,ea 1.,,
t,t1,e 10 Philippine progress anu '''
r,-5e5 their institutions .,;.,o.
syn.b,rg apart from our aenle.te ~
-.r,s a. home is more pleasing W "a "a.
r,;,od re- Sta-os than the splenolu Hu
,,n,smsnt vr,.sr q the Philippine pe0p's'
is added
self.Control Hoped FOR -,
~r,,nklv." the President added .,s
~ bored probably l eXpressea1. 1.,,aiv tnv
ts.. M ~. 80 r,arv Of our people ana Ilkety
.SY, - s ,.ovrs that somehow We nlght
In relationship which assured 10
ees'iup lp..-io.e self-control IN your 90
.ou s4a;rs and would enable you 70
.nio;rc with us in the economic ana po-
itical advantage which arc 'ne i'sn.
fnl posses sion o. great ana ''s"''ON'
TIE President said he did not ques-
,or the belicf held by the flhprnos a.
- tbsir readiness for the full obllga-
,ons ~ INDEPENDENCE but added ne
,.s thinking Of Americas larger re-
,,o,s;bilitv. not only to all the Philip
.,,s peopie. but 20 all the world as
vel
we have a high respect for your
majority. bur no less obligation TO YOU,
minority. and we cannot be unmindiul
n that world responsibility wherein
your fortunes are involved IN ours
Narusl Ouezon. head OF the mission
t-s Other leaders said after leaving inc
Write House they had no statement 10
r,ss vi.h reepect 10 the Presidents
,.,lv Tho added that the future course
4 Rs mission would be determined py
s-,,r,efiors from Manila, which are ex-
Is,G after the Presidentiai reply -
,s:a by independence ieaae's'