Evening star., 1935-12-18
BY BEN McKELWAY,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.
MANILA, P. 1.-THE issue of inde-
pendence for the Philippines, with all
that may be said for and against it,
has for the time being been settled
through establishment of the COM
monwealth government.
The issue was settled through Gu
fious and unnatural mixture of senti-
mentality, the desire of selfish interests
IN the United States to profit through
the exclusion of competing Philippine
products and the ambitions. personal
and otherwise, of Filipino politicians.
The resulting condition is therefore
not promising for success or smooth
sailing, either for the United States
or for the Filipino.
For the United States measure
of somewhat loosely defined control,
under conditions difficult to apply, is
retained along with all the real re-
sponsibility, while the commonwealth
government has the power In theory
the American high commissioner rep
resents the President of the United
States. In fact, Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur, borrowed from the United
States Army by President Quezon as
his military adviser, possesses an
amount of influence in Washington
which the high commissioner may
find embarrassing. This unSatisfac-
tory status has been assumed by the
United States at a time when the
Nations future in the Far East, and
along with it the future of the white
man. hangs in rather precarious
balance.
Economic Depression Looms.
For the Filipino an economic de-
preston, with resulting lowering of
his relatively high standard of Hv-
ing; the demands for costly military
expenditures. diverting money away
from education, social and industrial
development, plus the uncertainty over
the ability of a long-dependent people
to govern themselves, are in certain
prospect.
1t is not an encouraging picture,
viewed from any angle. The best
friends of the FilipinoS have their
grave doubts. Their unfriendly critics
see the whole business doomed to
failure, with consequent embarrass-
ment for the responsible United
States.
The responsibility Of the United
States is rather firmly established
The Nation has assumed an obliga-
tion to the Filipinos, expressed time
and again by its authoritative spoKes-
men. which cannot be escaped wltnouI
loss of honor or prestige. 1t must pre-
serve order on the islands during tne
time of the commonwealth under con-
ditions which threaten economic ano
almost certain political disorder. AND
If it leaves the Philippines and With
draws from the Far East after III
years. it must either do so under a
freatv with other powers recognizing
Philippine autonomy-ot doubtful ac-
ceptability by the people of the United
States. who would have to back it up
or merely get out with the almost
certain knowledge that the people for
whom they accepted guardianship
will shortly thereafter become an eco
nomic and eventually a political de-
pendency of Japan.
inconsistencies Numerous.
There are many curious and uneX-
oected inconsistencies in the Philip
pine situation and none more so than
the practically undivided certainty
which exists among qualified observers
as to Japan's eventual acquisition OF
the Philippines should the United
States withdraw The inconsistency is
in the fact that the United States is
supposed to be granting the Filipino
his independence and eventually his
sovereignty. But even those who argue
sincerely that the time has come when
this should be done are certain in
their own minds that sovereignty for
the Filipino is merely an intermediate
step toward Japanese sovereignty.
The Filipino has never been able,
nor has he apparently cared, to de-
velop the tremendous possibilities of
these islands-with their mineral
wealth, soil and climate that make
them one of the most valuable posses
sions in the world. The Filipino has
never been business man. Although
the Filipino is numerically superior in
retail business, the Chinese control
1922 per cent of the retail investment,
the Filipino 37.81 per cent, the Jap
anese, Americans and Hindus follow
ing in the order named. The peaceful
tnf1ltration Of the japanese in Philip
pine trade and commerce of the Phil
tppines is evident on every hand.
When the Chinese attempted to boy
colt japanese goods the Japanese re-
taliated by establishing their own re-
tail stores in the Philippines to han
Ole japanese goods. In years activ-
ity they took per cent of the Chinese
retail trade away from Chinese and
another 5 per cent away from Fill
tpinos. While the Chinese, by reason
Of their more efficient organization
and the cooperation among their re-
tailers and importers, have long been
predominant in Philippine retail
trade, the Japanese threat to this
domination is generally granted. The
damage already done to the American
cotton textile trade in the Philippines
by efficient and co-ordinated competi-
ton Of cheaper japanese goods is well
known. Americas share of cotton
EDUCATIONAL.
mr. V0 LII O.