Evening star., 1930-06-27

is by reputation for fair dealing and
justice"
The Secretary'S observations have led
him to the belief that Americas inf1u-
ence in the Orient today, exercised
through its work in the Philippines as
q government, Is more important in its
effect upon the surrounding group of
nations. aggregating in population more
than 100000 900, than an the millions
of money expended and the tremendous
and devoted efforts Of missionaries and
others through the entire East. He be-
lieves, further, that ''if our influence in
the Philippines should be withdrawn
void would be created proportionate to
the size Of the influences that is with
drawn" which, in his opinion might
readily upset the balance of Far Eastern
relations to such an extent as to cause
| other governments to intervene.
Naval Pact Figures.
Still another angle to this many
sided problem is touched upon in a brief
Of the American ASiatic Association,
| which brings the subject of Philippine
independence into close relationship
with the present efforts for reduction in
naval armament. The association thus
states this phase Of the question:
With the present degree OF national
pressure, an independent Philippine
1
ton to any acquisitive element which
might temporarily gain control of the
| government Of any one OF the powers
interested in the Far East. The mere
existence OF such possibility would
necessitate precautions on the part of
all the powers In that area. The inev-
liable expression Of these precautions
would be increased naval demands. The
| United States Is at present engaged in
cooperation with the other leading ma
val powers in an effort to reduce the
! great naval establishments of the world.
Our withdrawal from the Philippines at
this time would disturb the present
balance Of power in the Western Pa
ciflc. The assurance of peace and sta
bility contained in the four-power pact
and any agreement which may come
from the London conference would be
senSibly diminished. Developments of
this kind might well nullify all efforts
for naval reduction and substitute sus-
picion for satisfaction In the Pacific
area. These aspects Of world peace
should receive due consideration and
| adequate protection In connection with
the question Of Philippine independ-
Discussing before the territories COM
nittee the international aspects of the
problem, Nicholas Roosevelt, q publi-
ciSt OF wide reputation, whose firsr-hand
observations OF conditions in the Phil
1ppines and Of the Far Eastern status
quo, and particularly Americas foreign
policy in the Pacific. give weight to his
conclusions, declared that there has
grown up in the Far East "a relation
ship which is predicated on the pres
ence. the peaceful presence, backed by
force. Of Great Britain. the United
States. Holland and Japan. and, Incl
dentally. France"
Eaborating on this point, Mr.. Roose-
velt further said:
"It Is to the particular interest Of
Great Britain, the United States and
Holland to see that there Is no change
In the political equilibrium Of the Far
East. because what they want IL two
th1ngS-they want peace from the point
OF view OF International affairs, and
tney want internal tranquility in their
own possessions and in those territories
which they govern out there.
u. 8. Thrown In by Geography.
The United States was thrown into
this situation, you might say, largely
oy the forces of geography. The mere
! TACT that the Philippines are part of a
chain Of islands that stretch from Japan
down through the Dutch East Indies to
Australia, and the fact that the United
States is responsible for that particular
part, has put us in the position OF
guardianship and has placed upon us
the responsibility OF maintaining order
there. When we went into the
philippines we became responsible for
them. We introduced an entirely new
factor In the political situation in the
Far East, and II We withdraw now we
change the entire relationship that ex-
lStS there. II we withdraw from
tnere, from the point Of view Of any
nody who 1s out In the East, It gives
the appearance that we are unable or
unwilling or afraid to carry out the
responsibilities that We have underta ken
there. I think 1t would be followed bv
very serious loss Of face, loss of prestige
and that in turn would mean a loss of
lnnuence commercially. politically, and
In all our activities. certainly in China
ana up and down that Far Eastern
coast"
I have attempted to show that the
) early termination Of our guardianship
OF the Philippines would be pretudicial
TO our own economic interests and might
dangerously disturb the present politi-
cal equilibrium in the Orient.
There Is another element in the euua-
sion, however, that transcends in sig
nlflcance even these important consid-
erations; That element is the disas-
trouS eject such action would have
upon the 10000, 900 Filipinos themselves.
To quote again from Judge williams
observations on this subject:
Inere Is practical unanimity among
those having knowledge of the Orient
and its people and of the dire struggle
for existence which grips their unnunn-
bered millions that for the United
States now to cast the Filipinox adrift
would not only spell unrelieved tragedy
Tor them but would constitute a gross
betrayal OF the obligations deliberately
assumed by the American people in
taking over sovereignty of the islands
, from Spain. Abandonment of the phil
ippineS by the United States-with a
consequent raising of our tariff wall
against Philippine products, with
drawal OF the cautious protection Of
our Army and Navy, and a leveling of
the dikes which now stem an thrush of
Chinese and other Asiatics-would mean
that the mass of Filipinos (who now
enjoy standard of living and
security Of life and property without
parallel in the ORIENT would easily sink
to the level of the most miserable coolies
who now swarm at their threshold"
, Economic Catastrophe Seen.
1t is important to remember that even
|, the advocates OF independence admit
that its granting would be fraught with
. grave difiicultieS of an economic nature
There is no one in the Philippines, +"
said Speaker Manual Roxas of the
Philippine House of Representatives,
who does not believe that a sudden
disruption Of our economic relations
, would produce serious embarrassment
to our economic system" And another
champion of independence, writing from
/ Manila, says:
THE phenomenal economic progress
, of the Philippines has been so based
|, upon and bound up with free trade with