Evening star., 1935-02-17

into a war with Spain We got hold OF
he Philippines. We stood aghast. NOW
We were to be a full-hedged colonial
empire and We did not like the idea.
But, after all, We could not let the
Philippines just lie there. to be picked
up by the Germans or the japanese.
And so we stayed. Now we intend to
give them up. I have no doubt but
that the majority Of our people would
just as soon get rid of them. But in
this day and age it is quite impos-
sible TO make any sort OF political
prophecies. Tomorrow mornings pa
per may show that the work of thou
sands of years of constructive states
manship has been undone.
Suppose Japan gets into a war with
Russia Il am no pesSimist. but will
bet even money! and suppose Japan
is victorious and also establishes her
self firmly in China. And suppose the
war party in Japan clamors for fur
ther extension of the national domain
to lead her rapidly increasing surplus
population. Suppose Japan threatens
the Philippines land remember that
today all things are possible)-what
then? Then we shall discover 1t to be
our bounden duty to stay in Manila
and to protect our frontier by safe
guarding our outer bulwarks.
Cuban Situation Viewed.
1t is true that at the present mo-
ment we are out of Cuba and Mica
70 C,,ho
menace to the safety of the world or
becomes Bolshevist stronghold!
Suppose that England feels that it
must interfere to protect its interests
or its own West Indian colonies!
Shall we sit by and let ourselves be
influenced by piece of paper? You
may say so now and call me traitor,
but the events Of the past are solidly
on my side. We shall do what every
self-respecting nation has always
done We shall protect our own safety
by all means at our disposal. If, in
order to do this, we must accept the
duties and burdens Of empire, we
shall do so without moments heSi-
tation.
That does not mean tina: here on
our own mainland we shall become
an empire in the sense of that word
as understood by Russia Oh England
or Spain. Outwardly We shall prob
ably always remain faithful to our
original democratic ideals. Those
democratic ideals are part of o,lr po-
litical flesh and blood, so to speak, and
to them we owe everything we have.
We hear lot these days about the
need Of dictator. The representa-
tive form of government Is too cum
berSome. The representative form of
government does not encourage the
best and most intelligent elements Of
society to take an active part in its
everyday affairs. The representative
form Of government Is too slow, etc
I know all the arguments, but they
fail to impress me. Nations do not
grow over night like certain sorts of
mushrooms. They are the result Of
a slow process of development. And
that development will depend entirely
upon their own historical and geo.
graphic background.
In our case, most fortunately. the
soil has never been favorable toward
the cultivation of the dictatorial ideal.
Even when such men as Lincoln and
Wilson have been given almost un-
limited power during the days Of
great national crisis they carefully
avoided everything that might be
misconstrued as an attempt on their
part to establish themselves as die
fnfnrc IN fhair fohk
Roosevelt's Power Great.
And it is the same with Franklin D.
Roosevelt. He may actually be able
to WELD a greater power than was
ever vested in either Pope or emperor,
but it remains a delegated power"
When he talks into the mike" to tell
the people what has been done he Is
addressing the folks next door and
not an anonymous mass of supposed
subjects.
A political theorist might argue
that this is merely q matter Of terms,
that Mussolini or Hitler might also
start out, MY friends" >. They
might, but they won't. Because they
are the products of different sort
Of social background. am not argu-
ing that they are right and that We
are wrong, or vice versa. am merely
stating a fact.
Let every country be governed ac-
cording to its own historical tradi-
tions. The rest of the world may do
what it will. The rest of the world
may even laugh at us q little. But
Continued on Third Psse)