Evening star., 1923-05-28

To the Editor of The Star:
On May Z and The Star published
dispatches from Junius B. Wood, it's
far eastern correspondent, to the eff
feet that Governor General Leonard
Wood would make public list of
United States senators and repre-
sentatives who have been "receiv-
ing payments running into FIVE fig
ures' from the funds of the Philip
pine Commission of independence for
espousing the cause of Philippine
freedom.
AS the direct result of the publica
ton of these dispatches, scores of
newspapers have published editorials
unjustly criticizing the Philippine
Commission of Independence and the
cause, a sacred one to US, of our in
dependence.
Therefore. we are writing to ask
you to publish this reply.
Governor Wood, in a letter dated
May % and addressed to Teodoro NJ.
Kalaw executive secretary and chief
adviser of the Commission of Inde-
pendence. Manila, said: ''In reply to
your inquiry ! beg to assure you that
no Information has ever come to me
to the effect that any member of the
American Congress has ever received
any pay OF compensation the
independence funds"
Both Deny Charges.
Philippine Resident Commissioner
Isauro Gabaldon and former Commis-
sioner jaime c. de Veyra both de-
clared the charges were with founda-
tion.
Commissioner Gabaldon asserted
that his intimate acquaintance with
the members of the American Con-
gress, and his resulting appreciation
of their integrity, were sufficient to
cause him to be absolutely certain
that not one of them could possibly
stoop to accept money to influence his
vote, and that he was willing to state
without fear OF successful contradic
tion that not one Of them had re-
ceived pay. as charged, from the in
dependence funds.
Manuel L. Quezon. president of the
Philippine senate. who has been di-
rectly in charge OF the independence
funds, upon learning of the charges
in the dispatches alluded to, promptly
cabled the following instructions to
this office: with reference to cam
paign Of misrepresentation as dis
closed in your recent cablegrams. you
are directed to do everything In your
power to place the truth before the
American people regardless of who
is hurt. We are bound to perform
our duty to the cause of immediate
independence"
Seek Only Freedom.
The 100000 Filipino people are
determined to have their independ-
ence. They are determined upon
this subject because they believe their
freedom belongs to them by divine
right and because the United States
Congress solemnly promised 1t upon
conditions which they have already
fulfilled The fulfillment of the speci-
fed conditions was officially reported
to the Congress by a President of
the United States and by an American
official who was for seven years the
governor general Of the islands.
Believing, then, that independence
righteously and justly belongs to us,
that no nation has the moral right, in
the sight of God and the Declaration
of Independence, to longer withhold
1t from US, what is the most intelli-
gent method for US to pursue to OBJ
tain it?
Revolution? No: the world has seen
enough of war and bloodshed, with
its staggering cost in human blood
and treasure. Besides, we have some
sense. even though our opponents may
not be willing to give us credit for
1t. We would be annihilated IL we
attempted TO meet the United States
In arms. But even were 1t prac-
ticable. no thought could be so alb
horrent to us. For we do not regard
the United States as our enemy, but
as our great friend. We are grateful
to this nation for all 1t has done for