The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-24
BY ROY w. HOWARD

lowing QlepaICh EfVinE the Far Eastern
reaction TO the king amendment.)
BY ROY w. HOWARD
SHANGHAI, Oct. 24.-The King
amendment, which. from this far
eastern viewpoint, appears to be a
bungling bit OF tariff politics, has
back-handedly knocked Philippine
American relations wrong end up.
Temporarily, at least, it has
wrecked the admirable modus oper-
andi established so successfully by
Secretary of State Stinson while he
was governor general of the islands.
Prior to the vote in Washington
on the King amendment, immediate
independence was not a paramount
issue in the Philippines. The politi-
cos had propped it and concentrat-
ed their full efforts toward further
local autonomy and economic up
building.
Realized Limitations
Realizing independence as the
ultimate goal, and as a necessary
cardinal principle of any successful
party in the Philippines, as it is a
cardinal principle with the United
States, they had come to recognize
that the economic consequences of
independence, if granted too sud-
denly, would prove disastrous, even
though, in the purely political
sense, the Philippine people prob
ably are as capable of self-govern-
ment today as many peoples who
have achieved it in the past.
StimSon's administration, as a re-
suit of his tact, constructive states
manship and genuine sympathy for
the FilipinoS, succeeded in wiping
out the soreness which had resulted
from General Woods Strong-arm
and unsympathetic administration.
Without abandoning indepen-
dence, therefore, as an ultimate
aim, Quezon, Osmana and other in
tellectualS who at present dominate
the Nacionalista party have, since
Stimson'S arrival, soft-pedalled the
issue of immediate independence
and concentrated on more logical
and practical detectives.
Sought New Government
Generally speaking, those object
ives are calculated to evolve an
island government with ultimate in
dependence still to be acquired by a
further process of evolution, the
island government. Similar to the
Canadian Dominion government,
being long step in that direction.
While it would be politically fatal
for any party in the Philippines to
admit now its willingness to &C
cept a dominion form instead of
independence, these leaders person.
ally believe that, with increasing
local autonomy, and the inevitably
clearer appreciation of the economic
consequences of immediate indie
pendence. the resultant erection of
tariff barrier between the islands
and their chief customers, the de-
mand for immediate independence
would gradually fade out and the
wisdom of the evolutionary process
be accepted.
They feel that, coincidentally, de-
velopmentS at Washington would
show increasing consideration and a
sympathetic attitude toward the
Philippines legitimate, natural and
ultimate aspiration.
Amendment Hits Program
This practical program has been
at least temporarily ditched in q
peculiar manner by the King
amendment vote, which has been
seized by the Democratic Opposition
party. as a possible basis for reha-
bilitating its waning political for
tunes The opposition now is shout
ing that the dominant Nacionalista
party has betrayed the independence
idea for a mess of economic pottage
They assert that the cloSenesS OF
the senate vote on the King amend
ment indicates that United States
government is almost ready to grant
independence and that only lack OF
aggressiveness on the part of the
Nacionlista leaders prevents the at
tainment of that goal.
What really happened is that
with fair treatment under Stimson,
the Nacionalista leaders have been
turning from emotionalism to face
the cold facts. The populace, which
for generation has been fed on the
political desirability of independence
and confirmed in that desire by the
arbitrary attitude of the Wood adj
ministration. has little conception of
the economic consequences which
the conservative leaders began to
weigh, with the development Of i'm
proved relations under Stimson.
The new situation has forced the
hand of the Nacionalista party and
brought about the announcement OF
the appointment of new indepen-
dence commission headed by Quezor
an6 Osnana, who will present a
new petition for independence to
congress in December.