Evening star., 1937-05-16
F|L|P|NOS' STATUS
PROBLEM MFOR j. s.
Joint Committee of Experts
Studying Commercial
Relations.
BY JAMES G. WINGO.

BY JAMES u. WlNGO.
Status of the Filipinos in the United
States after Philippine independence
Is one Of the important questions un-
der consideration by the joint COM
mittee of American and Filipino ex-
perts studying United States-Philip-
pine trade relations. This committee
Is preparing recommendations for the
adjustment Of Philippine national
economy to early independence of the
islands and the termination of prefer
entail trade relations between the two
countries
The number of Filipinos in con-
tinental United States is variously
estimated from $4,000 to $4,000. A
large proportion of these want to re-
main in this country. Thousands have
wives and hold permanent jobs.
Few Want Repatriation.
In fact, Filipinos are so desirous Of
staying in the United States that a
Filipino repatriation measure enacted
by Congress at the height of the de-
preston could last year induce only
553 Filipinos to accept an offer of a
free one-way trip to the homeland in
exchange for their right Of free re-
entry into this country Filipinos
thus repatriated can return to the
United States only under the meager
quota of the Philippines. Since there
is a long waiting list of Filipinos want
ing to emigrate to the United States,
the chances Of the repatriates to re-
turn here are practically nil
1nasmuch as Fflipinos are even now
not citizens of the United States and,
except those who have served in the
Army and Navy. ineligible for citizen
ship in some States, although they
are not aliens because they are United
States nationals, their status will be
more complicated after Philippine in
dependence.
Unlimited Filipino immigration into
the United States was one of the
important factors which influenced
Congress to pass a Philippine inde-
pendence law in 1888. The competi-
ton Of Filipino labor, which for
many years had been negligible, be-
gan to be felt as the general de-
preston caused millions of Amer
leans to lose their jobs.
In May, 1927, the first bill for ex-
elusion of Filipinos was introduced
In Congress.
Economic was primarily the basis
OF the anti-Filipino movement. In
Western State ranches and farms.
where F1lipinos were employed as gen.
eral laborers, harvesters, fruit pickers,
asparagus cutters and washers, irri-
gators and cooks, unemployed Amer
lean laborers charged them RESPONSE
BILE for their unemployment and en-
ployed ones charged them with low
ering wages.
Social Considerations.
In addition to economic reasons,
there were social considerations which
awakened the slumbering anti -Orien-
tai sentiment in California.
The Philippine independence act
Includes provision ending the free
flow of Filipino laborers into the
United States. During the Common
wealth period Of the Philippines, for
the purposes of United States immi-
grafton laws, FIipinos entering this
country are considered aliens. The
Philippines are considered a foreign
country with an annual quota of so.
After independence the Philippines
will have no quota.
However. the Filipinos who were
In the United States on May l, 1884,
when the Philippine Legislature ac-
cepted the Philippine independence
act, are entitled to their residence
In this country.