Evening star., 1924-12-07
PLAN DRIVE TO AID
MORO FOUNDATION
National Campaign Will Be
Launched to Raise Funds
for Education.

The people of the United States soon
will be called upon to assist in spread
ing a movement of Christianity and
Christian influence, which now has q
roothold in the Philippine Islands
and which is characterized as the
new key to the Mohammedan world. y
In that the first opportunity to move
and mold the coming leaders of the
Moslems. numbering more than 200,-
100000. now il at hand.
The entrance to the Mohammedan IN
world is declared to be through the
Moro Province of the Philippine Is
lands, where there now exists an or
ganization TO heal. equip. train. civil
iae, Americanize and Christianize the
vast numbers of Moro children, who
formerly were the victims of cruelty
poverty, caste and disease.
The organization is known as the
Moro Educational Foundation and
the activities for which it now stands
were founded 10 years ago by Bishop
Charles II. Brent. who then was
Bishop of the Philippine Islands, and
who had the cooperation of Gen.
John J. Pershng, then governor of
the Moro Province. and Mrs. c. Loril-
lard Spencer Of New York and New
port.
Work Spreads Rapidly.
The movement to Christianize these
Moro children, their parents and their
families. has met with overw helming &
success. but it has gone far ahead of
the limits originally provided for ii.
Therefore the foundation, supported
by scme of the most prominent citi-
2enS o. the Nation. is going to appeal
for aid to extend this Christian edu- =
cationaI work in such a strategic To-
Calty.
Chapters of the Moro Educational
Foundation. which is incorporated
under the laws of the District of
Columbia, will be formed in leading
lities of America. The first local
shapter formed will be in Washing
3,m where numbers of eminent sup
Sorters of the foundation are soon TO
st as organizers among their friend .
Bishop Brent. now Bishop of West
ern New York. at present is in Ge-
ncva attending the International
Opium Conference as chief commits
sioner for the United States. He is
quoted as saying that this is the first
time in history that a western Chris
tian nation had official : TO the
minds and hearts of the boys and
girls of the MOSlem race Never be-
fore was there such an opportunity to
make useful citizens of the world out
of hereditary pagans and Mohamme
dams. Other nations are watching
closely our treatment of and success
with the natives of the Philippines.
The problem of the dependent race
has never been solved. If it had been
the World War would have been al
most Impossible, as it was based
largely on the suspicious, hostile and
unsatisfactory relations of dependent
and independent peoples.
NaroS EiFrca WnrriorS
Our new work among the Moros
Is the most effective peace crusade |
know anything about The Moros, of
all the tribes of the Philippines, have
been the herceSt warriors and most
implacable foes. Even the little boys
carried weapons. Today our Moro
boys are happy, merry, studiouS and
industrious. Even the fathers OF
many of these lads, who had been all
their lives cruel, loodthirsty head
hunters, with scalps of their foes a
much-pTized ornament. have turned
from war and taken up agriculture.
We have put plows where we found
swords. You can't create peace by
disarma ment alone; you have to make
thinkers and workers out of those
who were lighters
Bishop Brent explained the work
among the Morus was begun with
only small experimental school. and
today the plant and equipment of the
Moro Educa tional Foundation, located
near Jolo, the capital town of the
principal island, consists of a hospi-
tai, dormitUrY for boys, an agricul-
tural and Industrial school d carpen-
try shoi, printing press, a play
ground and athletic field. corn and
rice fields and 10 acres of land under
cultivation. But 500 acres more of
land are needed to increase both reve-
hue and food supply from corn, herpp
coconuts and other produce, Sisl.on
Brent declared.
Every Moro boy taught farming and
building and road-making; every
Moro girl taught sewing and house
Keeping and basket work, Bishop
Erent continued, is not only an eco
honIc asset to the United States. but
is also powerful influence against
lnsurrectloE among the MOros. Fa-
clities are not available to provide
Tor half the boys now eager to enter
the school. and only as more funds
are available can the scope of this
work be enlarged. Government
schools among the Moros have had
dlfhculty in securing pupils, Bishop
Brent says, but I'VE have had to re-
fuse continually the voluntary appIi-
cations of boys"