Evening star., 1935-12-17
BY BEN McKELWAY,

MANILA, P. I.-RegardleSs OF the
wisdom or the folly on the part of the
United States in undertaking to turn
the Filipino loose at the end of 10
years to shift tor himself in cold
and cruel world, no American who
visits the islands today can fail to feel
a certain amount of national pride
in what has been accomplished under
American sovereignty up to this time.
Much of the material accomplishment,
it is true, has been by Filipinos, with
Philippine money. But 1t has been
under American guardianship, respan-
sible for the mistakes.
Members of Congress on their way
to attend the Commonwealth 1naug-
uration saw or heard about the results
elsewhere of colonial policies Whlch
have had nothing in common WIN
the American policy in the Pnl4lp-
pines. but which are sometimes erro-
neouslv compared with that policy.
The cringing coolie. scrambling in the
dirt for the thrown copper and Whln-
ing for more, is the result Of a social
system on which the colonial policies
of other nations have been IN large
measure based. The coolie knows that
all men are not born equal and ne mas
never been encouraged by his whlte
masters to change his mind by ADOPT
ing other highfalutin notions TO the
contrary.
Provincial People Friendly.
Though some of the Americans
speak disparagingly OF the roughneck
element in Manila and its Scorn OF
Americans. the same condition Is apt
tn prevail in any port where lot OF
rouehnecks come ashore to nave a
good time. They do not always con-
6uct themselves in a manner tnat
wins the admiration OF anybody In
the provinces among the natives the
traveller is struck Immediately by the
disarming and rather naive TREND
illness of the people and their hap
piness over the simple fact that he has
come among them. And when an
American Representative talked to
G-stringed Igorot in the market place
at Baguio, he was talking to man
who stood on his feet and looked him
in the eye with no apparent feeling
OF inferiority, but an actual affection
and respect for the white brother
from across the sea. I have spent
lot of time in Washington trying with
Indifferent success to get information
out of Government bureaus, but was
never more courteously received or
helpfully assisted than by the Filipinos
in government bureaus in Manila.
Everywhere one is impressed with
the burning desire by the educated
Filipino to learn and to profit by what
he learns. This is what assisted so
much in the development, practically
from scratch, of public school system
that is not nearly what it should be or
what it may some day become, but is
something to be proud of when the
handicaps are considered. And all Of
these things speak something for the
American policy in the Philippines,
which has made the Filipino respect
the American without feeling called
upon to bend the knee or pull his
forelock.
Natives Know English.
1t is a surprise approaching a
shock to walk up to a G-stringed
1gorot, who wears no pants at all, or a
beetle-nut chewing and evil-looking
Moro and receive an answer to a
question in good English. And al
though that may still be the eXcep-
ton, rather than the rule, the fact
that it is possible at all results from
the policy of establishing schools that
President Mckinley in 1900 said
should be one of the first objectives
of American occupancy of the Philip
pines. American soldiers stacked
their rifles and took up school books
to open schools in the Philippines and
as early as 1899 more than 1000
pupils were enrolled in Manila alone.
In 1901 the Philippine Commission
engaged 1000 school teachers and put
them to work opening schools. Today
there are 1880 public schools in the
islands, stated by 21,12O teachers,
practically all of them F1lipinos-with
about 1904 485 pupils enrolled. With
a population of about 100000 the
amount now spent on education is
$11 100000, which is approximately
the same as provided for schools in
the District budget That means a
low standard of education as COM
pared with the District, but high
standard compared with 81 years ago
in the Philippines.
When the Americans came to the
Philippines there were only 900 miles
of old, Spanish rights of way, many
of the roads impossible in bad
weather and barely passable in good
weather Today there are 9,057 kilo-
meters of first-class roads and 4,831
kilometers of Second-class roads, with
about 1000 kilometers Of trails, rep
resenting total investment Of about
100000 in good roads.
S49,OOO,OOO for Public Buildings.
In Manila there are many fine, new
buildings housing government estab-
lishments and seven of the provinces
have erected imposing capitol build
ings, the Filipinos having spent some
$4,000 900 in the construction of pub
lie buildings since the American oc-
cupation.
When the Americans came to the
Philippines there was only one i'm