The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-24

Washington, d. c., March 2S.-
/ The fact that Ireland mas nnatly
been given the status oI seRa-
rate political entity virtually inse-
pendent of the RUE OF Great Brit
ain, has a reflection in the United
States going far beyond the casual
sympata:es of This man fer Ireland
and that man for England.
AS matter OF TACT, although
there is not much talk of it here
and little agitation except in sPo-
radio outbursts, the American gov
eminent has several little Ire
! lands of it's own on its hands and
| its conscience. Some day these
toutbursts may fare 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 Americans have resulted in no
little bitterness on the part of the
! English The feeling entertained
by thousands of Eaglishmen was
that the question of Ireland was
one purely between England and
ireland, and that, frankly, it was
none of the business of these Amer
leans who seemed so deeply con
cerned about the issue.
These resentful Englishmen
pointed out that the American gov
eminent holds island possessions
j having no real tie with the central
government, and that it would be
bitterly resented by Americans if
there should be lot of agitation
in England for giving the Philip
pines independence, for instance.
And these same Philippine is
lands remain a difficulty which may
increase trouble fer the American
administrators as time goes on.
Acquired less than 25 years ago, a
bitter guerilla warfare went on for
long time before the more war
like tribes were brought to book
and accepted American govern
ment The islands have represen-
tation in the house of representa-
tives, there being two delegates
who have every privilege except
that of voting.
In the little more than two de-
cades of the civilizing influence of
American rule, parties have sprung
up in this distant group of islands
demanding either complete indie
pendence or very liberal home rule
Investigations have been made of
conditions time and again, but al
ways it has been found to be I'M
wise TO grant this request.
Japan Is Factor.
The real trouble with giving up
the Philippines, although it is sell
dom 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. Occi-
dent, the Philippines would be of
tremendous advantage to the coun-
try in possession and able to use
its main harbars as naval bases.
The Hawaiian islands, lying be-
tween America and the Philippines,
belong to the United States. For
eign critics have eontended that
America has no moral right to
have these islands. However, the
true HAWAIIAN race IS dWlndllEg
and dying out, and there is no agi-
tation for freedom of these Islands
from any fancied American yoke.
AS a matter of fact, these islands
seem perfectly contented and hap
py TO remain a part of the United
States, and no doubt will so con-
tinue.
In the Atlantic ocean, America
is meeting with troubles from is
land possessions. Only recently the
newspapers have been filled with
charges and countercharges and
defenses of courses of action con-
eerning the government of the is
land of Porto Rico. E. Mont Reilly,
governor of the territory, for that
is its official status as a part of
the United States-has been the
storm center of all this upFoar
The charges came from native pol;
iticians. The Porto Rican delegate
in congress was bitter in his de-
nunciation of the conduct of the
governor