The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-04-11

Major General William C. Riv
ers, retired, who passed the las
/ two winters in Key West and wht
| is great admirer of the city al
an ideal place for a winter resi-
denee, has in the New York Her
! aid Tribune for March II a study
of the recommendation of Presi.
| dent Roosevelt for the reenact.
inert of the Philippine indepen'
dence bill. allowing the Filipinos
to vote on it at their elections in
June.
General Rivers praises the ac-
ton of the president as fair and
generous. He holds that freeing
the Philippines would add to our
sea power in the Pacific by releas-
ing the fleet from being tied to
an untenabie far-off base. Cen
eral Rivers states, ian inherently
weak position such as that OF
Manila may well be menace to
the peace of the Orient, while a
united and flexible fleet should
be an aid to tranquility in that
region"
General Rivers also has, in the
New York Times of March 10, a
study Of national defense, urging
the creation of Department of
National Defense-Army, Navy
and Air-three separate and in-
dependent forces.
General Rivers analyses the pro-
motions-by selection-Of navy
officers for the current year. and
some of the promotions of general
officers in the army, so as to COM
pare the two systems. General
Rivers gives in detail his reasons
for suggesting promotion by selec-
ton for the officers of the army.
General Rivers article follows
Leaving Philippines
president ROosevelt's wise and
statesman-like action in recon-
mending to congress the extension
of the Philippine independence
bill does not find favor in your
recent editorials in which the opin-
ion is expressed that the president
and Senator Quezon lost the OPP
portunity to settle the vexed Phil
ippine question in the real interest
of the islands and of the American
people-once and for all. You feel
--as most of us do-that If inde-
pendence Is granted our departure
should be complete and definite.
with no guarantees, naval bases or
iny0lvements - no responsibility
without authority. Mr.. Quezon in
his Toxic speech was clear as to
that and the Filipinos in general
agree with your view on this
point. II Is apparent to you that
granting independence means an
abdieation Of our role rs one OF
the great powers Of Eastern Asia
and that It win be for US great
loss Of face"
THE president recommended as
an amendment to the bin the
withdrawal Of our troops when in.
dependence IL granted, leaving the
question Of the naval station to be
decided by mutual agreement
with the new state. When one
recalls that we have about fifty
military reservations and Q dozen
naval reserves in all parts Of the
archipelago, with q total area of
2Jb, 900 acres, the Filipino point
Of view Is not unreasonable. But
few of the military reservations
around Manila are now used by
Rs The naval reserves are in
ALauila Bay. en1 Suhig Aey, near
By. Several Of the military reser-
yations occupy prominent parts
Of Manila City-Fort Santiago
and other historic spots where
our soldiers would be conspicuous
after independence. The action
Of President Roosevelt also closed
the breach iRs the ranks Of the
Filipino leaders--a great service,
u Interest OF Island
From m acquaintance with
the Philippines derived from ten
years as . civil servant Of the
Philippine government tnnder I'll
the GosernoF-Generais from Taft
to Wood. while detached from,
the Army for military police duty
throughout the islands may en-.
press the conviction that the far.
reaching action of the president
h faiF--and generous-and in ths
real interest Of the islands and Of
the America peoplef Addressing
the House in Washington reesRt.
", the Hon. Pedro Gueyera
the Philippine congressman, said