Evening star., 1922-07-08
Treaty No Magic Wand for OBJ
tanning Filipino Independence.

The fOur-pOwer naval treaty Is not
magic wand by which Filipinos can
obtain independence. This. in sub
stance, was President Harding's re-
ply to the Philippine mission. as it is
also .he attitude Of those American
papers which oppose the separation
! movement. Supporters of the Fill
ipinos, however-and they seem to con-
stitute majority of the papers COM
menting on the matter-contend that
discussion OF the four-power treaty
in relation to Philippine independence
is beside the point that the issue Is
merely one of good faith and fulfilled
promises.
1T can be said, safely" the Boston
Post independent democratic) thinks,
that independence for the Philip
pines is no longer distinctly politi-
cal issue in this country" The New
Haven Register independently recalls
that democrats from Bryan down
have professed to differ violently from
the republicans on the Philippine is
sue. But the recurring Filipino dele
cations to Washington have had moth
Ing more from democratic Presidents
than from republicans. unless it be in
promises" and the New York Call (so-
cialistic) notes that President Hard
ing has given the latest mission the
same reply that "Filipinos have re-
ceived from Roosevelt. Taft and Will
son." Nevertheless, editorial opinion
seems fairly divided on party lines,
most of the support of the inde-
pendence movement coming from
democratic papers.
The Knoxville Journal and Tribune
m
any partisan advantage attached to
the matter "it would have rested in
compliance with the request of the
delegation from the Philippines" and
denial Of this request Will no doubt
be made much Of by democratic spell
the refusal was made, In the opinion
of writers who approve it, because the
situation is in no way changed from
that which has dictated the American
position for decade. There is moth
ing in the four-power treaty" the
points out. which says that the Phil
ippines once removed from American
control and made an Independent ma
ton would be included under its pro-
visions" Even if 1t contained such
provision, the philadelphia PUBLIC
nave no Immediate application to the
question, since "most Of the partici-
nating nations have not yet ratified
the treaties agreed upon.
.The Philippines are American ter
ritory, and there is no good reason
why they should r not rihnne Esma1n 80, spen,b aS
lican). which interprets the movement
for Independence as largely the work
az a small political class which as
nires to make an experiment In ma
tionalism, for which the people OF the
islands as whole are not prepared.
Precisely because the United States
has had enough experience with that
kind Of nationalist aspirations the
Memphis Commercial-Appeal tdemo-
cratic) advocates caution in the mat
ter of turning the Philippines over to
~s, the n.tive thinks. The cannot Be eonsid
ered any too promising. and no one
can deny that the Cuban people were
nouch better fitted for self-governmen
when this country Withdrew after the
war with Spain than the Filipinos are
today" In the opinion OF tne lansing
Countries under the control Of a
strong civilized power such as the
IInited states are usually far happier
and certainly safer than when tney
possess the so-called liberty ana
since "the Filipinos now nave snare
nro1ressed ~ and prospered,". the paper
asks asks what more can they possibly
wish for?" ..
+o ha the inescapable deduction from
the continued agitation. While the
ind,s nanoiie Star independent re-
nmbiicanS is confident that "the Fill.
pinos, as President Harding assured
them will not be own 1e1s 1assipes 1 II saii iii
fesia that I'VE owe It to them not to
cast them adrift until they are amply
prepared for such action" and i con-
tends that I'VE. not a few agitators
in Manila, are to be judges on that
no;nt." There, however, many writer's
fii.arree. declaring that such q policy
leaves ample room for hypocrisy and
humbug," as one paper suggests. by
a perpetual postponement Of the dis
coyery that the proper degree OF "nt-