The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-04-15
BY WILLIAM sIMONS

THE House Of Representatives on April by
vote Of So6 to Al passed the Hare Bill for So
called Philippine independence. Immediately,
Manuel Quezon, President Of the Philippine
Senate cabled from Manila to the Philippine In
dependence Commission in Washington congra-
tulations on their achievement But what's all
the shouting about? Has American Imperialism
decided TO grant independence TO the Philippine
Islands? Not by a long shot.
Too often have Presidents of the United States
promised independence to the Philippine Is
lands, for American Imperialism now TO state
categorically that all talk Of independence is
idle chatter. Congressman Lozier implies this
in his extended remarks in the Congressional
Record Of April S: IAN irrevocable decision by
the American Government to permanently hold
the Philippine Islands win light flash Of frenzy
in the Orient and transmute the affection of
the Filipino for us into hatred so intense that
1t will never be eradicated" To be sure, the
masses have no such affection for the American
Government, but the Congressman does reveal
the reason for American maneouvers and COM
outage with regard to Philippine independence.
The Hoover Administration through Secretary
of State Stmson and Secretary Of War Hurley
continues its vague promises Of independence in
the sweet bye and bye, declaring that 1t is inn
possible to set any date for such Independence,
thus continuing the policy Of the Jones Bill Of
1915, which provided for independence as soon
as a stable government was established In the
Philippine Islands
United States win Hold On
The Hoover-Wall Street war and hunger gov
eminent is determined to hold on to the Philip
pines. A War Department memorandum Of May
5, 1880, advocating the continuance OF the
present colonial status Of the Philippine Islands
gives these reasons for its stand: "The islands
have great present, and enormous potential value
Of needed raw materials the production Of which
may ultimately be expanded with mutual bene-
fit to the people of the United States and those
of the Philippine Islands; they constitute an inn
portant present market and future much greater
market, for the products of American agriculture
and industry; they constitute important
strategic and trade outpost in the Orient and
their retention tends to insure fair particip-
alton In the great trade Of the Far East
Emphasis mine-W. 81
Secretary of War Hurley stated fatty before
the House Committee on Insular Affairs that
1.-THE political chaos in the Orient today is such
that in my opinion this is no time to deal with
Philippine Independence" The war plans OF
Wall Street call for an extension of her colo
NAL empire, not for weakening it. And on the
other hand Hurley voiced the fear by the i'm
peTldllSCS Oh Cne T6VOluJOndry mass movements,
when he said: Until the Filipino people shall
have made greater progress toward economic
independence, political independence would
merely invite revolution and anarchy" Greater
progress toward economic independence! AM
erican Imperialism holds the Philippine Islands
in wise, strangling her industrial development,
utilizing Filipino economy for the advantage of
the American ruling class, and Hurley hypocrit-
ically demands greater progress toward econo-
mic independence" as a condition for political
independence.
A Strait-Jacket Constitution
The Hare Bill and the Hawes-C Cutting Bill
(Which comes up within a few weeks in the
Senate) are detailed and exacting. They pro-
vide for the following: !. The calling in the
Philippine Islands Of Constitutional Conven-
ton which must contain certain mandatory
clauses. certain strait-jacket provisions which
continue the Philippine Islands as colonies dur
ing the period between the election Of the Gov
eminent Of the Commonwealth Of the Philip
pine Islands and the final withdrawal OF the
sovereignty OF the United States Is years under
the Hare Bill; II to IS years under the Hawes-
Cutting Bid. (a) AL citizens and officials
in the Philippine Islands owe allegiance TO the
United States. Cb) Property owned by the Uni
ted States shall be free from taxation. (c) No
loans shall be contracted in foreign countries
without the approval Of the President of the
United States. Id Foreign affairs shall be I'M
der the direct supervision and control of the
United States. (e) 1.-THE Philippine Islands
recognizes the right of the United States to ex-
propriate property for public uses, to maintain
military and other reservations and armed for
ces in the Philippines and upon order of the
President to call into the service Of such armed
forces all military forces organized by the Philip
pine Government" ~ The United States may
exercise the right Of Intervention (g) The
Philippine Islands must recognize the authority
Of the United States High Commissioner, the
personal representative of the President Of the
United States
So this is independence The Philippine Is
lands bound hand and foot, and all this in the
name Of independence. The Constitution drafted
BY shs Constitutional Convention must contain
ehsss mandatory proviaons. and must contain
WseA'ng eounese 10 than; and no lsss IN aGthog-