Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-08
FORECAST AS
PRESIDENT DA!SHES
HOPES OF F|L|P|N0S
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal. }
lCnnYrichf 10o4l


WASHINGTON, March 6.-The
Democrats will make an issue of
President Coolidge's refusal today to
approve the request of the senate
and house of representatives of the
Philippine Islands for the establish
ment of independence.
For twenty-six years the Filipinos
have been promised that when the
proper time came they would be &c
corded independence. President Cool
idge has definitely gone on record as
stating that the proper time has not
arrived and that there remain to be
achieved greater advances on the
road of education. culture. economic
and political capacity"
Just when the Filiplnos will meas
ure up to these standards IS not dlfti-
cult to guess-probabIy never in the
lifetime Of any of the present Fill
pino leaders. For, if the truth be
known, the United States does not
consider that many of the smaller
Latin American countries have
reached the American standard. The
Filipinos, on the other hand, think
they are further advanced than Haiti
or the Dominican republic or Hon
duras, and yet these nations have
their independence. Cuba, with the
protecting arm of the United States,
has a status which the Fillplnos
would like to attain and they are
ready to sign treaties enabling the
United States to intervene in case OF
disorder or interference with Ameri-
can property interests.
Business Foe of Liberty
| The basic factor in the question
of Philippine independence is mate
REALISTIC. The business interests in
the Philippines are united in their
opposition to independence. Certain
shipping interests believe they can
accomplish more by keeping the
Philippines a part of the United
States so that some day the trade
between the United States and the
islands shall be included under the
coastwise shipping laws, thus en-
abling the United States to discrimi-
nate against foreign vessels, par
ticularly the Japanese.
Governor General Wood is known
to be in sympathy with the business
interests which fear their properties
would be jeopardized or at least rem
dered less valuable without the
strong military arm of the Amerl.
can government.
There are men in the United
! States senate who have said in de-
bate that the F'ilipinos will never be
ready for independence. Mr.. Cool
| idge's statement reflects the argu-
ment made most often by those who
| do not wish to see the United States
relinquish it's hold on the Philip
pines at any time-certainly not in
the present generation.
Islanders Persistent
The Filipinos, however, will not
cease their agitation. They will
clamor for independence as long as
| they can make themselves heard.
| Preparations are under way for an
| extensive campaign in the United
States to win the sympathy of pub
| lie opinion. The Democrats during
their control of congress went on
record in favor of independence and
nearly got bill through the senate
after it had passed the house.
Also the Democrats under the
Wilson administration by means of
the Jones bill extended to the Flip
mos a greater measure of govern
hioH Iof @uCollolhJ lHoh IHoy uou III e
viously enjoyed. The friction be-
tween Leonard Wood and the Fill
ipinos has developed largely over
the application OF the Jones law
with many of the provisions of
which General Wood IS not in SYM
pathy. He has publicly advocated
their amendment.
The Republican, national platform
will in all probability follow the lines
OF President Coolidge's latest pro-
nouncement while the Democrats
will pledge themselves if elected to
grant independence to the Philip
pines within a specified period.