The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-27
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HAsKIN. Director.
Washington. d. @.
AMERICAS TROUBLESOME
TERRITORIES.

NfeASAAAAGlD4ls IL. ~ 4AAGENA ca ne
a fact that Ireland has finally been Civ
en- the status of a separate political
entity virtually independent of the rule
,, of Great Britain. has a reflection in
? the United States going far beyond
/ the casual sympathies of this man 70;
: Ireland and that man for England.
As a matter Of fact, altho there is
, not much talk of it here and little agi-
: tation except in sporadic outbursts
/, the American government has several
) little Irelanos Of its own on its hands
and its conscience Some day these
! outbursts may flare up to the pro-
portions of the Irish situation which
kept British statesmen awake of
nights for many years.
| Demonstrations of sympathy with
the Irish cause on the part of Amer
leans have resulted in no little bitter
ness on the part of the English The
feeling entertained by thousands of
Englishnnen was that the question of
ireland was one purely between Eng
land and Ireland. and that, frankly,
| il was none of the business of these
| Americans who seemed SO deeply con-
cerned aboutsthe issue
| These resentfuI Englishmen pointed
out that the American government
holds island possessions having no real
| tie with the central government. and
that 1t would be bitterly resented by
Americans IL there should be lot of
! agitation in England for giving the
Philippines independence, for in
! stance.
| And these same Philippine Islands
remain a difficulty which may in
/ crease trouble for the American ad-
ministrators as time goes, on. Ac-
| quired less than 20 years ago. bitter
guerilla warfare went on for long
| time before the more warlike tribes
were brought to book and accepted
American government. The islands
have representation in the house of
| representatives, there being two dele
gates who have every privilege except
that of voting.
In the little more than two decades
of the civilizing influence of American
rule parties have sprung up in this
distant group of islands demanding
either complete independence or very
liberal home rule. Investigations
have been made of conditions time
and again, but always it has been
found to be unwise to grant this re-
quest
Japan Is Factor.
The real trouble with giving up the
Philippines, altho it is seldom given
expression publicly, is its nearness to
Japan and its value as military base
to the United States. The Japanese
Population of the principal islands is
large and is growing constantly. In
the distant future. should war come
between the orient and the occident, |
the Philippines would be of tremen-
dous advantage to the country in |
possession and able to use its main
harbors as naval bases.
The Hawaiian Islands, lying be-
tween America and the Philippines. |
belong to the United States. Foreign |
critics have contended that America |
has no moral right to have these |
islands However, the true Hawaiian 1
INoe is dwindling and dying out, and /
there is no agitation for freedom of |
these islands from any fancied Amer
lean yoke" AS a matter of fact |
these islands seem perfectly contented |
and happy TO remain a part of the /
United States, and no doubt will so |
In the Atlantic ocean. America is
meeting with troubles from island
possessions. Only recently the news
papers have been filled with charges
courses of action concerning the gov
eminent of the island of Porto Rico.
E Mont Rely, governor of the ter
ritory, for that is its official status
as part of the United States-has
been the storm center of all this up
roar. The charges came from native |
politicians. The Porto Rican dele
gate in congress was bitter in his de-
ernor.
Harding Back Rely.
The result of all of this was that
Governor Reilly came to Washington
and laid the whole case before Presi-
dent Harding. The president prompt
ly sent Governor Reilly back to his
post, and by this action backed him
up completely. There is reason to
believe that underneath all of the dis
satisfa ction with the present governor,
was the fact that he Topped off ap-
preparations for salaries for sinecures
which have been sources of income to
politically prominent natives for some
time. Much of the criticism was dis
guised, however. under a clamor for {
making the island an Independent ma
ton.
J..
in smaller republics in which the {
United States must of necessity take a
hand in maintaining law and order. {
does the germ of trouble lie. America
put the situations which have arisen /
in Santo Domingo and in Haiti These
negro republics from time to time I
have upheavals which make neces-
sary bit of quoting down and pacify- 6
ng by the long arm of the American N
government. :
In the shcrt historical lives of these
Island republics, it has been a rare I
hing for a president to survive his
.erm of office or to come to his death
from natural causes One of them
was torn to pieces by wild horses.
It is not unknown for the legations
IF foreign powers TO be attacked
Revolutions abound. In the interior, Z
while denials will be made of it, saw
lgery often comes to light, and there
5 no doubt of the survival of yoodoo>l :
SIN and its awful rites. The natives !,
Dften are bitterly reSentfuI of Amer
can intervention to restore order. but
he American governmental policy is :
hat this country must be responsible
or thelgood conduct of its smaller and
ess enlightened island neighborS not
ar off the Atlantic coastline.
Cuba was nursed along by the !.
american government until strong
enough to stand alone. In spite of
VERIFYING that was done for Cuba, -
rom the time it was freed from Span
sh rule until America withdrew from :
he island. there was always a bitter :