The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-26
U. S. COURSE IN
PHILIPPINES IS
HELD PERILOUS
Reservations on Freedom
Could Drag America
Into War.
INTRIGUE ANGLE Barred
Acquisition of Islands by
Uncle Sam Viewed as
Inspired by Britain.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SINIMS
Scripps Howard Foreign Editor

BY WILLIAM PHILIP SINIMS
Scripps-Howard Foreign Editor
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.-After a
third of a century under the Stars
and Stripes, our accidentally ac-
quired Philippines are about to be
let go under conditions both inglo-
rious and perilous to the United
States.
Closing its eyes to the porten-
tiouS developments of the last fif-
teen months in the far east. con-
gress apparently is on the point of
granting the islands independence
with strings tied to it-strings which
easily might drag America into an
unwanted war on the other side of
the Pacific
Scrapping Of the nine power
treaty by Japan, and its virtual
abandonment by Great Britain and
France, have left the peace of the
Orient as precariously balanced as
it was prior to the Washington con-
ference of 1921.
Threat Is Ignored
Disregarding this new threat to
American security and the pledges
of congress and Presidents alike to
free the islands as soon as the peo-
pie proved themselves capable of
elf-government, Capitol Hill now
ic Lot nf1
cial interests, along with reten-
zionist bitter enders, dictate Philip
pine policy
THE Philippines should be grant,
ed immediate independence, with
the shortest possible period of time
for economic readjuStments that
would be fair to both Filipinos and
Americans"
Such is the opinion of DR.. Jacob
Gould Schurman, whom President
Mckinley sent to the islands as
chief Of the first Philippine COM
mission. And the whole history of
the strange adventure, as we'll as
recent developments, backs up the
eminent doctors contention.
The day the United States de-
clared war on Spain, General
Aguinaldo, the Filipino rebel.
showed up in Singapore. Defeated
by the Spaniards, he was on his way
to exile. There he had confer
ence with the American consul
general and, later, with our consul
at Hongkong and Commodore
Dewey.
AguinaldO Aids u. S.
What actually took place never
has become public property. Ac-
counts differ, depending upon who
does the talking. But that Cen
eral Aguinaldo was convinced that
the Philippines were to be freed,
like Cuba, after hostilities were
over, clearly is indicated by what
happened.
Nineteen days after Admiral
Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet.
General Aguinaldo reached Cavite,
on Manila bay, and conferred with
Dewey. 1t was agreed that he should
help the Americans capture Manila
and drive the Spaniards from the
islands.
And this he did. He and his
men invested Manila and pushed
we'll into the interior long before
American troops arrived.
Leader Is DisilIusionment
That General Aguinaldo would
have returned to take the Philip
pines from the Spanish merely to
turn them over to another power.
is difficult to believe. And the two
year instruction he led against
the United States, after American
annexation, is further proof of his
complete establishment.
No less mystifying is what hap
pened at the Spanish-American
peace conference at Paris. For a
full month Spaniards and Amer
leans had been sitting around the
table discussing terms, when, sud-
denly, out Of the blue, the American
delegation demanded cession of the
Dumfounded the Spaniards
fought back, but in the end were
doomed to yield.
Why this overnight decision to
treat the Philippines differently
from Cuba-which was to be freed
at once-is another mystery which
has not yet been explained salts
factorily.
Done ito Help Peace"
President Mckinley told DR..
Schurman, it was to keep the peace
of the Pacific-to prevent some
other power stepping in when Spain
stepped out.
No doubt this was true. But it
was not the whole truth. Japan
had her eyes on the islands. So
had Germany. And this greatly
alarmed Great Britain. For the
Philippines are a rich and lovely
stepping stone to Australia.
In world chancelleries, therefore,
it is said that Americas sudden de-
termination to hang on to the is
lands largely was British inspired.
The American flag fiuttering over
the archipelago spelled security in
that corner Of the world for Great
DrffofY