The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-08
FILIPINO REBEL
JOINS FIGHT ON
U.S.IMP ERIALISM
Enlists Under Banner of
Anti Imperialist League

Pablo Manlapit, fighting Filipino
labor leader and recognized as the
outstanding revolutionary figure
among Filipino nationalists, has be
come a member Of the All-America
anti-Imperialist League. This step,
taken at d time when Manlapit is at
the height of his popularity IN the
Philippine Island as we'll as among
Filipino workers in Hawaii and thru
out the United States, is of the Ut
most consequence for the future Of
che Filipino nationalist movement.
In his letter of application, made
public today at the headquarters of
the L. S. section of the All-America
anti-Imperialist League, 80 Union
Square, New York, Manlapit declares
that the whole policy of the official
Philippine Nationalist Party headed
by Manuel Quezon has been wrong
He comes out for more radical policy
and a leadership maintaining close
ties with the labor movement in the
United States.
Distrusts Politicians.
like you" he writes, ~ am not in
clined to think too highly of the poll
ticians. l opine that the Philippines
should have new men to lead the
struggle for independence.
"The capitalist press misleads
American public opinion by saying
that only Filipino politicians want in
dependence. This statement is un-
qualifiedly false. The truth is that
the masses of the Filipino people want
independence, and that American
capitalists and imperialists are there
lin the Philippines) to exploit our re-
sources.
"The big interests-the Wall Street
gang of privileged brigands and
crooked politicians - are responsible
for the outrageous exploitation Of my
homeland. 1 hope tn a the
American people may have the cour-
age to establish labor government.
49,. Then my country can hope for
absolute, immediate independence"
Manlapit has often been referred to
as the potential leader of truly revo-
lutionary nationalist movement in
the Philippine Islands He is the only
leader possessing the confidence of
the Filipino masses, whose love he
won during his leadership of the great
sugar strike Of Filipino and Japanese
workers in the Hawaiian Islands in
1924-as a result of which he was
framed up and set to Jail by the T..
S. Sugar interests in Hawaii He was
released from prison only few
months ago, after serving his mini
mum sentence. So greatly was he
feared by the Sugar Trust that his
release was made conditional upon
his leaving the Hawaiian Islands. 1t
being stipulated that he could not go
to the Philippines, he was forced to
come to the United States, where he
is remaining temporarily.
Contrasts Manlapit and Quezon.
Commenting upon Manlapit's letter,
Manuel Gomez, secretary Of the U. S.
section of the All-America Anti-Im-
perialist League, pointed out the con
trast between Manlapit's declaration
and the published statements of Man
uel Quezon, president Of the Philip
pine senate. who is in this country
comforting with President Coolidge.
unlike Quezon (the official lead
er of Filipino nationalism), Manlapit
does not place his reliance for Philip
pine independence upon some special
dispensation from the agents of
American imperialism at Washington
but upon the revolutionary will of
the Filipino masses. When Quezon
comes to the United States he visits
Republican and Democratic polti-
cIans, bankers, businessmen, Sin
fluential people generally. Manlapit.
on the other hand, establishes contact
with workers and looks upon the
working class as the only essential
ally of Filipino freedom in this coun-
try 1t is significant that Quezon has
had not one word to say in support
If Manlapit, nor did he make anv eff
fort to see him altho he knows of
course that he is in this country"
Helps Anti-Imperialist League.
The affiliation of Manlanit. follow
ing upon the utilization of Aracleto
Almenana who Joined some time ago.
gives the All-America anti-Tmperial-
ist League an excellent starting point
for effective work in the Philippine
Islands. National sections of the
League exist in eleven countries of
Latin America and in the United
States. but up to the present no sec
ton has been organized in the Philip
pines, altho correspondence with the
Islands has been maintained. Scott
Nearing recently visited the Philip
pine Islands for the All-America anti
lmperialist league, stopping off on
his way to China.