Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-14
ST|MSON OPPOSES
FREEING F|L|P|NOS
of War Reports
Supervision Needed During
Political Immaturity.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


NEW YORK, March 14.-Henry L.
Stimson, Secretary of War in Presi-
dent Taft's cabinet, who recently re-
turned from a tour of study and IN
spection in the Philippine Islands, re,
ports ON present conditions there ana
gives his views regarding the proper
American policy for the future IN an
article which he contributes TO the
April issue of Foreign Affairs, the
quarterly review published by the
Council on Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Stimson believes that the pres
ent agitation for complete independ-
ence takes it's origin entirely among
the comparatively small element OF
mestizo politicians who dominate the
central insular government, and that
the Malay farmer, who constitutes
more than 80 per cent OF the popu-
lation, is comparatively prosperous
and entirely content"
THE main center of the agitation,
writes the former Secretary of war,
'is confined TO the neighborhood OF
Manila and perhaps two or three other
cities, where there have accumulated
bodies of young Filipinos who during
recent years have received kind or
education for which the development
of the islands does not yet afford a
sufficient outlet in practical appltca-
ton.
Education System Faulty.
1.-The system of education which we
have introduced has in some respects
been faulty, and these faults have
been accumulated by Filipino tastes.
We have educated young men too
freely for 'white-collar jobs which do
tot az l.
tural people.
'As a result it is a quite prevalent
idea among the young men that a
diploma should entitle them to a place
in the government or some other easy
livelihood and that independence will
create such jobs for them.
A further reason, Mr.. Stimson adj
mits, lies in the friction growing out
of the restoration of American super
vision by Gov. Wood, particularly in
the Legislature, where Gen. Wood has
exercised freely the veto power which
Harrison almost abandoned. Again,
the effort of Gen. Wood to free the
Government from the unwise business
ventures in which the preceding adj
ministration had embarked has
brought him into direct conflict with
legislative leaders who were conduct
AtiG IALdI busAiicSS. DuI NH. ollI1SOIl US-
lieves that Gen. Woods tact and pa.
thence are already diminishing the
friction.
yet the final impression" says Mr..
StimSon, is that much might be done
by Americans to improve the present
situation in the Islands and to pave
the way toward a future constructive
growth of the governmental system.
The first and principal step would be
the public avoWal of a stable Ameri-
can policy toward the Islands, even
of the most general character"
Mr.. StimSon believes that the course
to be followed lies between the ex-
tremes Of annexation on the one side
and immediate independence on the
other. He thinks the basis is to be
found in the Jones act of 1916, which
he calls careful and well considered
piece of legislation" 1t sought to
transfer to the Islands the general
form of our Government, but with
two important changes.
THE first change" writes Mr..
Stimson, lis that the general power
of executive appointment and execu-
tive supervision and control is vested
in governor not chosen by the local
electorate but chosen by the Ameri-
can President and Senate.
To-day, in the absence Of any sys-
tenn of responsible party government
with clear-cut party issues repre-
sented by distinct alignment In the
Legislature, these department heads
are the mere individual selections Of
the governor general and perform
their work solely in responsibility to
him. But with the development of
responsible majority and opposition
parties in the Legislature such de-
partment heads could be selected by
the governor from the dominant
party and could be held to party
responsibility in their conduct of
administration"