Evening star., 1932-02-16
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
/. C.. NJ.

York, the Century Co.
"And the Senator from Utah broke
In With" And the Secretary Of
War retorted sharply as he hastily LEFT
the committee room"
In much this fashion the daily paper,
Of the past week have been carrying on
What u this momentous matter SO sud
denly stirring the passionate concern ol
national legislators and administrative.
of1cials? Oh, not new concern at all
Rather, 4 current instAllment of the
congressional serial that, for 80 year.
and more, has appeared of and on. n:
fresh situations or unusual angles oi
the old theme came to the top, or o.
changed states of mind in respect to II
wakened legislative zeal anew.
The great subject itself is the Philip
pines. The topic, that for all thess
years has opened or shut upon the pri.
mary subject, is the date Of independ
ence for the islands promised them by
the United States. A promise to take
effect upon the demonstrated com.
potency of the Philippines to promote
and sustain the obligations and bene.
fits Of self-government. And, since
the Spanish American War that orig
mated the issue, the attitude Of Con-
gress toward the question has run al
the way from altruistic statesmanshiI
to . picturesque and workable factor in
party politics.
What are the Philippines and where ?
Just the average reader putting the
query Is he reaches shade indiffer-
emily for . map to refresh old lessons
Way over there? / thought them near
er to Hawaii. But. they are right in
the thick Of the days doings, to be
sure" China just across the way. ia
pan. up shore. no distance at all.
Mighty lucky for the Philippines this
minute to be a part Of the United
States, safe and impregnable. Else, be-
fore this they would have been swept
into the Oriental chaos Of war that is
now being 50 resolutely pursued.
Right here the interest of the average
person toward this insular outpost OF
America took on q fresh edge. And
50. he dug In bit further than q mere
map permitted him to do.
About 1900 islands. all told, make
up the archipelago" he read The i'm
portant ones. less than half dozen in
number. Population about 1000 900,
including wild mountain tribes and
those living in the smaller islands scat
tered roundabout" A motley Of races
Malay. Mongolian. Chinese e-Spanish-
native in blend and cross breed. The
inevitable blood mixture, where associ-
alton is racially free and unregulated.
There was much Of other information
that the average person found out in
this new quest Of an old subject Gil
mate. soil and its promise for future
enterprise. The everyday character
tics and habits Of this much-mixed
population. as an element in the future
OF the Philippines. And since this av-
erage person was OF the possessive case,
along with his fellow countrymen, the
ISLANDS took on special value by virtue
OF being part Of his own land.
And right here stepped forward the
book for which he had really been look
Ing, philippine Uncertainty" by Sen
ator Harry B. Halves. A likely book,
or so 1t seemed to our new student, since
its author for many years had made
deep and searching study OF this exotic
outpost Of the United States. But, pro.
found as had been his probings into the
important subject. Senator Hawes was
not yet fully satisfied. The long range
view was not enough. Therefore. he
went to the islands. where for weeks he
Travelled and studied and appraised both
the land and the people. What had
they in the way Of natural resources?
what had they in the way OF personal
initiative and stability to produce in
duseries. to create competent and pro-
ductive modes of life? What had they
W1au %
commodations that lie at the root of
government by the people? Are they
OF the resolute stripe that in its own
way settled our country and that has
maintained it under stress and strain
OF every sort? Such. sketchily. the
spirit Of this island odyssey by q Sen
attn OF the United States.
In sense this Is q travel book. and
most interesting one 1t does present
the Islands as they lie off there in the
Orient. II does picture the look of
them, IN mountain and plain. in forest
and meadow. in sunrise and sunset
Ihls, however. is but a touch here and
there. Something Of magic in that
touch. but the true purpose Of the going
about is far other than the painting OF
canvas with harmonious words.
The Senator is upon an errand O,
moment. both to the islanders and 10
the people Of the United States. Are
these people ready for independence?
Is the United States over cautious in
so long Withholding self-government
from them? Are they ready? If they
are-what about 1t?
So in deep searching he examines
the people in their industries. in their
use OF natural resources as contributory
means OF existence itself, in their habits
OF work and thrift, in their compliance
to existing forms Of direction and con-
troll, in the quality of their local legis-
lature as both a prOnlotive and a
remedial agency. in the sincerity OF
their political faith and the honesty OF
their party politics. Education is con-
sidered. in its aims and in the meas
ures. to meet its ultimate design.
Comparisons are made With Cuba and
other young self-governing nations
along the lines that indicate perma
nency Of existence with q future likely
to contribute to the strength and per
petuity Of the democratic ideal the
world over. At important points in this
survey Senator Hawes calls upon COM
petent economists, publicists and po-
litical students for views and opinions
corroborative of his own views as these
are derived from this close and inti-
mate study Of the situation of the
Philippines as it spreads, concretely
out before him.
So much. in brief and inadequate
mention, for the scope of this study
for its clear competency, and for its
unassailable sincerity of spirit and hon.
eSty Of purpose. Therefore, a book OF
deep and definite value to the general
reader, as we'll as to the student OF
special interest in the field of politics
and economies. Direct. inclusive. or
derly, positive in information, not OBJ
scure in ultimate purpose and very
readable-such the quality OF Philip
pine Uncertainty" by Senator Harry
B. Hawes.
Behind every work, worth doing, there
is a driving purpose. Else. why take
the trouble? There is such drive be-
hind this book. Primarily, the study
rests upon the conviction of Senator
Halves that 1t is high time to grant q
promised independence to the Philip
pines A quite overdue point of time,
60 c. of ,;e