The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-10
People Drop independence
Goal for Security of
American Flag.
NO ASIA FOR ASIATICS'
Congress May Be Asked to
Make Commonwealth
Permanent.
BY ROY w. HOWARD
Chairman OF the Board. Scripps- Howard
Newspapers.


Copyright. 1885
MANILA, Dec. 10.-The Filipino
dream of independence is fading
fast. For IS years the major issue
OF the island politicians, it is gasp
ing its last within a month of the
launching of the commonwealth
government. On every side there is
evidence a-plenty that the Philip
pine republic contemplated by the
independence law and demanded bv
political leaders from Aguinaldo to
I Guezon, will never materialize.
Japan's arm stretching out ever
more menacingly and apparently in
tent on embracing the entire Orient
today is casting a dark shadow
across the Philippines A political
metamorphoSis is resulting. The Sc
curity of liberties already achieved
rather than national independence
has become the major political OBJ
jective. This security, to which new
value suddenly has been added, will
first be vigorously sought under the
American flag. Filipinos want none
OF Japan'S Asia for the Asiatics.' y
which like the Chinese. they in
terpret as Asia for the japanese. -
Campaign Designed
Unless all present signs fail. Con-
gress will be requested some time
early in the 10year interim to make
the commonwealth form of govern
ment permanent and definitely fix
It's political and economic future on
a territorial basis. Meantime. a
campaign is being designed to re-
veal to American business men.
f1nanciers and politicians the tire
mendous commercial potentialities
OF the islands and what they will
certainly yield, once their political
future is assured, with free trade
extension and reciprocal advantages
guaranteed. The removal OF Amer
lean labor's present anti-Ph lippine
attitude will be attempted by the
imposition of rigid restriction of
immigration. Political objections
over possible confusion concerning
Filipino representation in Congress
would be forestalled by a definite
commitment against later request
for statehood.
If after such a campaign Ameri-
cans remain disintereSted, business
leaders frankly state they will Gle
mand of the inSular government
that it approach Great Britain with
a request for territorial status under
the British flag.
There seems little doubt that
Britain would welcome such a rich
block of EngliSh-speaking territory
Economically capable of limitless
commercial development, the islands
in addition, would be invaluable to
Britain, strengthening her strategic
line in the Far East. Inversely, in
unfriendly hands, they could
jeopardize the entire British posi-
ton in China.
Opinion of Islands
The foregoing represents con-
SenSus of opinion gathered during
the last month from scores of lead
erS in business, finance, education
Journalism and politics during a
tour by boat and plane covering the
principal islands and chief prov
inces from northern Luzon to south
ern Mindanao. The opinion was OBJ
tanned from quarters sufficiently
varied to furnish an accurate cross
section. In so far as mass opinion
is concerned there is little or 70
understanding of the factors gov
erning the situation. To the masses,
independence, long advanced as a
cure-all for national ills, seems
practically achieved. Consequently
faith in present leadership is high.
Newspapers in the provinces are few
and inadequate. Mass understanding
of anything above elemental pro-
vincial political and economical
problems is negligible.
The fairly numerous. well-edu-
Gated class directs mass thinking
and conducts the nations business.
. Among these. there is no misunder-
standing. From all except the poll
ticianS, there is virtually unani-
nous, frank admission that political
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