Evening star., 1926-08-22
BY WILLIAM RUFUS SCOTT.

Observers Of Far East, affairs have
followed closely the so.oalled "Pan-
Asiatic Conference" recently in Nag.
asaki, Japan, not so much for what
1t is now as for what it may become
as movement designed to bring the
races in that section of the world
into a definite alliance.
The direct interest the United
States has in the conference is in
the presence Of Filipino delegates. OF
the seven directors elected for the
new organization. which will be
known as the League of Asiatic
Peoples" one is a Filipino. While nc
resolutions were adopted. messages of
sympathy were ordered sent. among
others, to Manuel Quezon, leader OF
the absolute independence movement
in the Philippine Islands.
Under the strict diplomatic super
vision of the conference exercised by
the Japanese government. no radical
speeches or attacks on Western ma
tions were permitted; nevertheless
the league is now in existence, and
even If considered mainly the work
OF unimportant elements Of the ma
tions involved, it may become, in the
opinion Of competent critics, the We
hicle for significant propaganda.
Next Congress in Pel8ing.
The next congress will be held in
Peking. A clear indication of the
drift Of ideas in the conference just
held may be seen not only in the
message to Quezon, which may be
expected further to influence radical
groups In the Philippines, but in sim
liar messages to Gandhi. the revolu
tionary Hindu, thus giving some
cause for concern to Great Britain
in India. Moreover, messages were
sent to Kemal Pasha in Turkey, to
the relatives Of DIR. Sun Yat-Sen, In
Canton, China; to Mitsuru Toyama,
japanese revolutionary leader. and to
Raja Pratap, in Afghanistan.
Whether Soviet Russia has had a
hand In instigating the conference Is
not outwardly established with GER.
tainty but the undisputed encourage
ment given by Russia to Chinese rad.
icals makes the question open to sur.
mises. Leaving Russia, out. the con.
ference, as purely an Asiatic move.
ment, has enough potentialities to
keep several governments alert, be,
cause Of the singing out by the con.
ference of every radical movement in
the Far East for approval.
Beginning with apparently mild OBJ
jectives. the movement, lacking all of.
fetal governmental recognition at this
stage. might develop in future years
into q, power that would be, officially
or unof1cially, a weighty factor in
the peace Of the Far East. and that
is why this cloud on the interna
tional horizon, now mo larger than
a mans hand" is believed by some
to have possibilities Of expanding into
a tornado.
May Include Social Angle.
President Coolidge has a personal
representative in the Philippine Is
lands at present, Col. Carmi A.
Thompson Of Ohio, investigating con
ditions. While Col. Thompson is con
cerned largely with the material re-
sources Of the islands, such as the
possibility of rubber production, 1t
may be assumed that his report to
the President will include some com.
ments upon the social and political
conditions. including the independ-
ence movement. Col. Thompson al
ready has seen in the Manila Legis-
lature determination. under Que.
IONS leadership, to force plebiscite
on independence over Gov. Gen.
Woods veto.
The rubber issue furnishes an index
to the Philippine situation, inasmuch
as the group working for autonomy
OF the islands is blocking the repeaI