Evening star., 1932-04-14
Philippine Independence
Viewed With Skepticism

As a possible obstacle the Lexington
7 g 81 lolc5 tnat ii is far from certain
that Congress has the power to ALLEVIATE
the Philippines by any act OF law, as the
islands are as much a part Of the terri
tory of the United States as is Texas"
TIE Baltimore Evening Sun advises:
/ The truth is every argument advanced
on either side Of an apparent basis OF
patriotism and principle is rendered
suspect by the existence of economic in
terests that think they will be advanced
or retarded by the grant Of indepen-
dence Since this is true, clarity and
canGor would have been served had the
House frankly abandoned all the breast
beating and tie whooping about the
destinieS Of 100000 people and had
taken instead a StraightOut vote on
whether turning the islands loose will be
good business or bad business. On that
issue the votes of a great many men,
bers turned, and it would have been
better had they avCwed their real in
terest."
x X X
That the time fixed for preparation
is too short is contended by the San
Francisco Chronicle and the Newark
Evening News. The Fort Wayne News
Sentinel predicts eight years Of politi-
cal turmoil and then economic disaster"
while the Minneapolis Journal observes
that the administration appears to be
firmly set against the scheme of giving
,.e ch-pclCgo eight years Of turmoil
and chaos to be followed by oblivion"
Doubt as to ultiIate passage is ex-
pressed by the Spokane Spokesman
Review.
Advance indications" according to
the Fort Worth Star Telegram, ARE
"a uri1 have for
naueht. IN spite of the fact of sugar,
suger beetS and Cuban cane field inter-
ests in the Senate, il comes more nearly
being an administratio group that the
Democratic majoritied House. A two
thirds vote in favor of Filipino paranoia
seems highly improbable But the idea
of giving them 10 per cent indepen-
dence year for 10 years might intrigue
soIe in the Senate"
Charging that the bill was intended
to be a stampede, scuttle, from the
Philippines at the behest Of interests
which regard themselves as unfavorably
affected by Philippine imports" the Bos-
ton Transcript states: Administrative
safety, the Nations duty and response
bility, respect for the judgment Of all
the sOundeSt and best observers, and the
future peace and welfare Of the Philip
pine Islands are all violated. The House
by a snap vote, without adequate dis
cussion. turns a deaf ear to the advice
and conclusions of President Hoover,
Secretary of State Stimson, Secretary of
War Hurley and the whole weight of the
testimony before the Insular Committee
Of representative American residents in
the islands
Two groups" remarks the Schenec-
tadv Gazette, ARE ready to cast the
Philippines overheard at a moments no
tice One consists OF those who wish us
to confine our possessions to the main
land of this continent the other consists
of ones interested in such things as the
sugar industry, who hope by excluding
the Philippine product to be able TO
raise their prices. Elimination Of COM
petition and restriction of outp It is their
sole concern" The st. Louis Iirles ad-
visss that the pulling down CT the
An e-i an flag over mi Ions Of industri-
Gus people is in itself a responsibility
that sheul1 not be disposed Of by pass
ing an independence bill In holiday
spirit"