The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-01-01
EARLY FREEDOM
MAY BE HANDED
TO PHILIPPINES
Rumble of Far Eastern War
Drums May Influence
u. S. Action.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
scripps- Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-The ever
increasing rumble of war drums in
the far east, portending a conflict
fraught with peril to the wen-nigh
helpless United States, so far as
that region is concerned, may bring
early freedom 10 the Philippines.
Manuel Quezon, president of the
Philippine senate and head of the
new independence mission to
Washington, is now consulting, by
cable, with Manila with a view to
presenting to President Roosevelt
the precise demands Of the islanders.
These probably viii be ready
next week. They are almost GER
tain to include request for early
and complete independence-that is
to say, within three years-and a
new trade deal between the United
States and the islands.
President QueZOn will present his
case at the direct request of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. The President is
known to be uneasy over the situa-
ton in the Orient and while con-
gress has seemed little inclined to
revise the existing independence act,
or to pass a new one. it would prob
ably do so if asked by the White
House
Japan Can Take Islands
AS matters stand, the Philippines
could be taken by Japan-to men
ton the islands most powerful
neighbor within forty-eight hours.
High naval officers admit that, I'M
der the Washington treaty, the
archipelago can not be defended.
In the event the islands were cap
tured by a foreign power, public
opinion at home and abroad would
force the United States to recapture
them. To do so would require a
navy twice the size Of the present
fleet. All our warshipS could not be
removed from the Atlantic. Lines
of communication across the Pacific
would have to be protected. And
as Warships lose from to 10 per
cent of their effectiveness for every
1000 miles they steam away from
base, another 30 per cent in eff
cheney would have to be deducted
from that portion of the fleet which
finally reached Far Eastern waters.
The Philippines, it is argued, thus
constitute a grave hazard to Ameri-
cas- national defense without her
being able to do much, if anything,
about it.
War Talk Rampant
Meantime war talk continues in
world chancelleries. China is ablaze
with civil war, too weak to prevent
new invasiOnS. Japan is biting away
great chunks of territory north of
the great wall apparently anneXing
them to her puppet state of Man
choukuo. The highest officials of
Moscow are openly charging Japan
with intentions of provoking a con-
flict with the Soviet Union.
Important administration officials
here feel that this might not be
a bad time for democracy to make
good its promise of Philippine indie
HtLutllCG. O1lCtI dill lIlIGIIldIlOIId1
guarantee, they observe, the islands
should be at least as safe as they
are now.
In any event, it is argued, once
independence is granted and the
international guarantee enters into
effect, the position of the United
States, in this Far Eastern outpost,
would be improved If this country
felt obliged to take up the cudgel
for the islands anyhow, at least it
would not be alone in the field.
The Quezon mission to Washing
ton. therefore, may succeed beyond
expectations. AS a Democrat, PreSi-
dent Roosevelt might be expected to
honor the Democratic platform
pledge, while as a former assistant
navy secretary he knows to the last
rivet the technical difficulties of de-
Tending the islands under existing
conditions.