Evening star., 1932-05-08

on April passed Dill winch,
II enacted into law by the Senate lover
possible presidential veto), in all
likelihood would bring these results:
L The creation of an independent
Philippine nation within eight years.
2. The commercial and perhaps mill
tary Subjugation of that nation by
great Eastern power within a compar-
atively short period.
3. A bloody rebellion or revolution
within the Philippines
4. The destruction of almost all of
the Philippines marvellous economic
progress.
5. The creation of a new disturbing
factor In the Far East, vastly increas-
ing the possibilities of war in that
sphere.
8. The shrinkage of an important
market for products Of the United
States, with loss of work for thou
sands of our people.
Z. The weakening of all our rela-
tions with the Orient-the most prom
Using field for American commercial
expansion in the future.
As this Is written it is impossible to
say whether the folly embarked upon
will be consummated-a folly disastrous
alike to the people of the Philippine
Islands and the people of the United
States. Selfish, short-sighted, COM
mercial interests drove the Philippine
independence" bill through the House
of Representatives. Only widespread
understanding and knowledge here and
In the Philippines as to the destructive
character of the proposal for separation
will prevent truly tragic results.
DepIores Indifference.
To many of our people at this time
what may happen in the Philippines
seems unimportant because of the very
remoteness of the islands. Yet the ef-
feet of Philippine separation within the
next few years would be less work in
our cotton mills, our cigarette factories,
our steel mills and in other industries.
We should be taking the first back
ward step in our friendly and mutually
profitable intercourse with the Eastern
half of the world-the nations whose
hundreds of millions of people are DO
tential customers for all the surplus
products we can produce, beyond our
own needs.
True it is that the Philippines are
ia" away from our shores But it is
far from true that these islands of the
East and South are unimportant to us
and TO the other nations of the world.
Yet because of their remoteness it is
well to recall to our people some basic
facts about the archipelago that came
to us as the result of our war with
Spain and over which we were given
complete sovereignty by purchase and
BY treaty with that nation.
BY that treaty we acquired dominion
over approximately 7,100 islands, ex-
tending north more than 1000 miles
from point not far above the equator,
in the very shadow, one might say, of
the great bulk of Asia. The great port
OF Hongkong is only 631 miles from
Manila. the capital of the Philippine
and Chinese sailing boats can cover
the distance in four and a half days.
The Japanese port of Nagasak is only
1906 miles from Manila British
Borneo, Dutch Sumatra. French Indo-
China and the Malay Peninsula, with
all the islands of the East Indies, are
''neighhors" in a geographical sense
Our own nearest mainland port. Seattle,
Is 5,943 nautical miles from Manila, and
San Francisco 6,221. Yet, despite the
proximity of Japan and other Oriental
nations. the trade of the Philippines
with the United States in 1929 (the
last world-normal year, amounted to
approximately s2l1 100000, compared
with a total for all other countries
trading with the Philippine Islands of
only 94,000,000
Great Resources Seen.
Here, on these 7,100 islands, with an
area of 114,000 square miles, live ap-
proximately 100000 people of the
Malay, or brown, race. The area of
the islands is about that of the New
England States plus New York State;
larger than Belgium. Denmark, Holland,
Portugal and Switzerland combined.
About half the islands are forest COW
cred and probably not more than half
the arabic land is cultivated, although
the soil is rich and capable ultimately
OF supporting population of 10000 900.
The islands are mountainous and full
Of mineral wealth-gold, silver, plati-
mum, iron, coal, manganese and copper
Certainly the islands are rich enough
IN natural resources and sparse enough
in population to tempt other nations
II released by the United States and
left unprotected. Less than two days
distant by steamer is the most densely
populated part of CHINA region
overcrowded with seething millions,
periodically visited by famine and flood,
with thousands perishing from starva-
crowded and VIGOROUS population that
"C4A JOobhACQ OCIl ICOildIQ NOOu
saying that under Philippine "inde-
pendence" the Chinese would soon
occupy all the fertile valleys and the
Filipinos would be driven to the noun
taintops. Nothing seems more certain
than that If the Philippines were given
so-called independence" during the
next decade, with economic pressure
as 1t is in the Far East there would
be either peaceful or forceful penetra-
tion and commercial domination by the
Chinese and japanese, and loss of the
higher standard of living Of Western
civilization. The American population
is only about 5000, and American
investments are from $50 000, 5000 to
To these Far Eastern islands. after
nearly $50 years of Spanish misrule,
the United States brought peace, order
and prosperity within few years of the
termination of the Spanish American
War. Schools were established, roads
built, banditry suppressed; cholera.
smallpox and other diseases were vir-
tually banished and government was
instituted which gave the Philippine
people, through their elected represent
atives, the power to make the laws and
to maintain their own constabulary.
Practically all administrative Offices
were filled by Filipinos.
Oppression Is Denied.
AT the head of this government is the
governor general, appointed by the
President of the United States; yet even
the most rabid Filipino politician makes
no assertion that there has been cruelty
or oppression under this form OF gov
eminent. The fact is that probably
never in the history of the world has
more rapid progress been made in edu-
eating and economically uplifting a
large body Of nearly primitive people.
This is due not only to the application
of American ideals but to the character
of the people, who were described by
Gen. Leonard Wood, when he was Gov
ernor of the islands. as property loving
law abiding. sympathetic. intelligent
hospitable and neighborly," as well as
keenly interested in education.
The progress made in a third of a