The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-07-30
BY DAVID p. BARROWS

"riCten Tor Cosmopolitan News Service.
BERKELEY, Cal, July S0.-Ac-
cording to my understanding the
issue between Gov. Gen. Leonard
Wood and the Filipino political lead
ers arises over the functioning of
the so-called Council of State.'
This is an extralegal, unconstitu.
tional body Set up by the Filipinos
during the administration of Gov.
Cen. Burton Harrison. whereby the
attempt has been made to introduce
into the Philippine government legls-
IatlVe control of the executives after
the manner of the British parlia-
mentary government.
Governor General Harrison was
favorable to this plan and largely
turned over to the council of state
powers and discretion which by the
act of Congress belong to the gov
ernor general. The organic law OF
the Philippines at the present time
Is an act of Congress passed in 1917,
known as the Zones BILL
POINTS OUT LAW.
This act in accordance with Ameri-
can political principles, separates the
legislative and executive branches
or the government, the first being
entirely Philippine, the latter being
confined to a governor general APP
pointed by the President of the
United States.
This is the law. The law clearly
contemplates executive duties and
responsibilities shall be exercised
by the governor general, not by the
legislative cabinet or committee.
The attempt by the Filipino lead
ers to deprive the encouragement
or his executive powers, or to limit
his responsibilities, is clear act Of
illegality and an attempt to evade
the organic law of the Philippines.
The Philippine demand for i'm.
mediate independnc should not he
taken too seriously by the American
people.
The Filipino is an ambitious,
proud and adventurous man. He
viii do anything once, irrespective
OF. the risk. He is undoubtedly
ready to try independence, with all
the dangers and difficulties that
would attend the government of the
islands and it's internal and ex-,
ternal liability with the support of
the United States withdrawn.
But this venturesomeness, while
ii has its admirable side, is his
greatest danger. Undertaken too
soon, independence will be lost.
NOT READY FOR FREEDOM.
The islands are not ready for
independence and will not be until
they are more thoroughly fused as
a nation, have had time to fully
occupy the outlying islands of the
archipelago, particularly Palawan
and Mindonao, and have suffi.
GENTLY augmented their resources to
the point where they can preserve
order within and defend themselves
from without.
The Philippines at present have
no interest to us as part OF our
military and naval defense Iian.
The treaty OF WASHINGTON of 1921
forbids the adequate frrtificatlc n
of these islands.
The Pacific outpost of the
United States at the present time
is Hawaii and not the Philippines.
The American people have no
interest in the Philippines greater
than the DEVELOPMENT of the Fill
jpinos themselves: but as long as
they are an American possession
we have every interest in seeing
that they are honestly and pro-
eressively administered. and with
that great responsibility must go
all the authority now pertaining
bv law to the office of the Gov
ernor General.
The present opposition is person
al. II springs from the undue am
billions of politicians who have en-
deayored to distort the government
which Congress has established. 1t
is not entitled to American SYM
nathy. nor to the favorable atten-
ton of the Government at Wash
Ippfon