Evening star., 1933-01-13
Text of Veto Message
President Cites Danger in Philippine Independence.
Does Not Believe Islands Ready for Self Govern
ment Because They Could Not Maintain
Order and Institutions.

expenses of the forces actually in the
Islands and do not include the very
pertinent potential protection afforded
by the entire military and naval powers
Of the United States. It can scarcely
be expected that the Philippine Islands
will be able to increase their revenues
by SO or even 2S per cent to provide the
force necessary for maintaining internal
order and the minimum of external de-
fense, even were no internal economic
degeneration anticipated. They could
only do so at sacrifice of large part
of their educational and public i'm
provements.
External Dangers.
"The Philippines include, in terms of
comparison with their neighboring ORR
entail countries. large areas of unde-
veloped resources. The pressures of
those immense neighbor populations for
peaceful infiltration or forceable entry
into this area are most potent Many
of these races are more devoted to COM
mercial activities than the population
of the Islands and the infiltration Is
constant and fraught with friction.
Nor has the spirit of imperialism and
the exploitation of peoples by other
races departed from the earth. After
the establishment of independence the
Filipino people alone will be helpless to
prevent such infiltration or invasion.
Their problem is infinitely different
from that OF Cuba or other nations in
the Western Hemisphere.
Moreover, the political dangers Of the
situation are greatly increased by the
present political instability In the
Orient. The impact of Western ideas
upon Oriental systems of culture and
government has created a profound
ferment among this half of the popula-
tion Of the world. Our own future and
in maintenance Of peace and the de-
velopment of our own economic life and
trade, are deeply involved.
To-day the picture is chaotic. 1t Is
impossible to see what the next two de-
cadeS may bring. 1t Is certainty that
at the end OF such q period we can
see more clearly and the Philippine peo-
pie can see more clearly the forces
which are formulating. 1t would be the
part OF common caution upon their
own behalf and both generosity and
caution in our own part that final de-
termination as to the nature of our re-
lations should be deferred and that both
of us should take this momentouS de-
cision after much longer period than
two years. When the Philippine people
vote within two years upon constitu-
ton they take the irrevocable step of
final independence. BY maintenance of
our military occupation and our ma
tional guardianship, the United States
must and will give protection against
external pressure during the period of
intermediate government. The bill
makes no effective provision for the
maintenance of their independence
thereafter from outside pressures, ex-
cept a promise of effort on our part
toward naturalization. We have the
option to continue maintenance OF mill
tary and naval bases. Other nations
are unlikely to become parties to neu-
tralization IL We continue such bases
and naturalization Is feeble assurance
Of independence in any event unless
We guarantee 1t. That again Is the
perpetual engagement Of the United
States in their affairs. But with the
impression that these ideas in the bill
convey 1t i, likely that the Philippine
people would vote In two years in the
belief that independence Is thereby at
tanned and with the more or less gen.
eral belief that we will indefinitely. en-
gage our power and our own future
welfare In the altruistic mission of pre-
serving their Independence from inter-
national forces against which they are
incapable Of defending themselves.
Therefore, before any plebiscite is held
We should honestly and plainly declare
our intentions. This bill does not do
this. In discharge Of the moral re-
sponsihilities Of our country we have no
right to force an irrevocable decision on
their part to be taken two years hence
at a moment in history when the out
look In the world and of their sur
roundings Is at best unfavorable to their
permanent independence.
Conclusions Drawn.
"If the American people consider
that they have discharged their respon-
sibiltties to the Philippine people, have
carried out the altruistie mission which
We undertook, II We have no further
national stake in the Islands, II the
Philippine people are now prepared for
government, II they can maintain
order and their institutions, If they can
now defend their independence, We
should say so frankly on both SIDES. I
hold that this Is not the case. In
formed persons on neither side have
made such declarations without many
reservations. Nor can these conditions
be solved by the evasions and proposals
Of this bill without national dishonor.
In my view, we must undertake fur
ther steps toward the liberation of the
Philippine Islands, but they should be
based upon a plebiscite to be taken Is
or 20 years hence. On such an occa-
sion there would be full impress upon
the Filipinos of the consequence of
t7c nf he
side issue to the substitution of an
other intermediate form of self-gov-
ernment offering no vital improvement
in their liberties to that they now pos
sess. They should then have freedom
to form their own constitution and gov
ernment, both in the light of expe-
rience and the forces moving at that
time. In the meantime we should de-
yelop steadily through an expansion of
the organic act a larger Importance to
their own officials by extension of au-
thority to Cabinet government, with a
full reserve Of powers to our represen-
tatives. immigration should be re-
stricted at once. We should cooperate
with them to bring about their eco
nomic independence before the pie
biscite by very gradual reduction of
their free imports. We should, prior
that the Philippine people propose, fix
mutual preference in trade similar to
and on a wider scale than that with
Cuba. The United States should
plainly announce prior to the time of
this plehiscite whether (a) 1t will make
absolute and complete withdrawal from
all military and naval bases, and from
every moral or other commitment to
maintain their independence. or (b)
the conditions as to authority and
rights within the Islands under which
we will continue that protection.
without Determination.
These final steps can not be prop
erly determined now by either the
Philippine people or ourselves.
I'VE are here dealing with one of
the most precious rights of man-na-
tional independence interpreted as sep
| arate nationality. 1t is the national
independence Of 13 million human