Evening star., 1932-12-21

Very little support Is given to pro-
posed legislation before Congress Tor
the freedom of the Philippine Islands
It IS charged that the bill, while
amended in some particulars, has for
its purpose the protection Of American
products, and that management Of the
islands, having tended to limit the
Philippine trade to the United states,
has created a situation in which the
cutting of of the American market
will be disastrous to this American
possession.
"Thuggish economic handling Of the
question Is charged by the Baltimore
sun, which suggests that the purpose
Is Ito give the islands start toward
political independence at some future
date and at the same time to make
provision to cut the throat of the
islands economically at once" The
Sun finds agreement among normally
sensitive people," with statement by
Senator Hawes of Missouri that 'if
human liberty has come to be meas
ured by sugar in the United States
Senate, We have sunk to low estate"
The San Jose Mercury-Herald main
tains that there must be no ground for
q suspicion that sordid motives prompted
our action on independence OF the
islands" That paper offers the 5udg-
ment on proposed treatment OF the
matter: I'VE have assumed the role Of
guardian. Should it appear that, after
helping them to build an economic
foundation for independence, we wrecked
it at the demand of domestic sugar
interests, we would be discredited in
the eyes Of the civilized world"
X \ X
Holding that 1--WE have brought about
q condition in the islands which will
make it extremely difficult for them to
recover their former markets." writer
in the New York Herald Tribune states
that "the stage is set to cruelty the
Philippines as peace offering to the
sugar god," and concludes: such a
tragic, unworthy and selfish ending Of
q national undertaking, which has up
to now brought us monumental credit,
would receive the well deserved rebuke
Of history" =.
"The Congress Of the United States, "
states the Providence Bulletin. "has
acted like q lot OF hucksters IN ITS
treatment OF the question OF tndepend-
ence." That paper ayers that the
bill plans to strangle the Philippines
while freeing them" and voices the
warning: I'VE are planning to initiate
withdrawal machinery at a time when
our prestige in the Pacific depends to a
considerable extent on maintaining
what the Orientals call face Such
an act would be construed on the other
side of the Pacific as weakness, when
our Far Eastern policy seeks to be firm
and reSolute."
On the other hand, in discussing the
policy represented by the bill before
Congress, the Dayton Daily News de-
clares: 1.-THE Philippines have been an
expense, not profit, to us. This fact
Is the best defense Of our conduct there
We have given the Filipino more than
we took from him. We have been dis
illusioned as to the possibility Of ladling
out civilization in steam-shovel bites
So the idealist Is willing to let the
Filipino 60. Now that no profit appears
from our adventure there, the imperial
ist Is ready to let him 60. The pres
sure Of Filipino products into our mar
kets has set certain special interests
sugar producers, for instance-af1re
with holy zeal for the free Filipino
From the military view we find the
Philippines a corn-sown foot stretched
out for far powers to step upon. Do we
want to fight some day far-hung wal
for the Philippines? To US they are
not worth the cost Of one-day fight. !"
In Japan,s program Of patience ano
opportunity" advises the Fort Worth
Star-Telegram, "the Philippines Lie
where It will be impossible for them te
escape being stumbled over. II they
are given their independence, that viii
be ono con@tdon OF affairs. II they re-