The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-03
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Pooling the Philippines

Press dispatches would have believe that the
Filipino independence advocates recently arrived
in Washington are ready to accept the Fairfield
and johnson measures providing for Philippine
f rsas M within about years
We are loath to believe it, unless such deter
mined fighters for complete national freedom as
Guevara, Quezon, Osmena, Roxas, and Gabaldon
have permitted the imperialist lackeys at Washing
ton to pull the wool their eyes. If the Fllpl
no mission will lend hand in the passage OF this
measure it will be falling into dangerous trap
set for the independence movement by the General
Woods, Colonel Proctors, the Firestone Rubber
and the Standard Oil interests.
Once the Filipino spokesman admit that the
American imperialists have right to stay In the
Islands even one day, let alone twenty-five years,
they will be surrendering the cardinal point OF
their whole struggle they will be surrendering the
most powerful weapon in their hands-the fact
that the American capitalists and their strike
breaking government have no business in the Phi
Hppines and are there only to exploit the country
and rob the native people Of the natural resources
of the archipelago. Besides postponing the settle
ment of the question of independence for quarter
of a century-means depriving the great Filipino
freedom movement of much of its present fervor
and zeal. This is precisely what the reactionary
capitalist government at Washington is playing
for
There is still another rub to this crooked
manoeuver on the part of the Coolidge Teapot
administration During the twenty-five year tran
stion period the American capitalists will increase
their investments in the Philippines and will make
sure of getting a stranglehold on the islands At
present we are told that the Philippines can't be
freed in less than twenty-five years because it will
take this period for the Filipino people to meet the
obligations they have incurred to certain Boston
and New York bankers. 1t is as clear the bright
est daylight that at the end of the fixed period the
Filipino nation will be more than ever in bondage
tc our profthungry fnanciers. Thus, the reasons
that are being given today against immediate Phi
lippine independence viii be given with much more
force behind them twenty-five years from now. The
present 'soluton" is therefore solution at all
and simply serves our ruling class with an effec-
tive ruse for denying the Filipino people their
national freedom which is long overdue them.
We hope that the Filipino spokesman will not
allow our capitalist plunderbund to fool them. If
Quezon Osmena and their colleagues do not fight
the Fairfield and johnson measures tooth and nail,
they will be guilty of striking a serious blow at
the cause of their people. We hope that the Fill
Pine working and farming masses who are the real
driving force in the whole freedom movement and
who will be the to bear the brunt Of the suffer
ing and burdens imposed upon the archipelago will
make their sentiment known in unmistakeable
terms and will have the independence Mission EN-
phatically repudiate the intentions being at
tributed to it.