Evening star., 1937-11-14
FILIPINO ANNIVERSARY
FINDS OLD ISSUE ALIVE
Early independence Question, Long
Regarded as Settled, Revived
ByPresident Quezon.

ber Co. for assistance in the develop
ment OF rubber plantations in the
second largest island of the archi-
pelago. This company's 2,5OO-acre
rubber plantation in Mindanao is
currently earning a high yield, on
par with the best in Sumatra. When
Quezon was reminded that Firestone
refused to invest in the Philippines
because of the limitation Of corpor-
ate landholding to $500 acres, he
said both the sugar and coconut
industries has prospered under the
same limitation.
One OF Quezon's current pet projects
is the raising of wages in all industries
not only as a social justice reform, but
also as a means of spreading out to
all the people the benefits of United
States-Philippine relationship, especi-
ally free trade. Keen observers
pointed out that this plan does not
jibe with his early independence pro-
posal. Inasmuch as those advocating
independence are mostly non-sharers
of free trade benefits, it looks as if
Quezon is fermenting public opinion
against his early independence pro-
posal by making everybody have
proportionate share of the fruits of
United States-Philippine relationship
Another obvious reason for Quezon's
solicitude for the underpaid workers
is that the newly-organized Philip
pine Popular Front is making con-
siderable headway among the masses.
The Popular Front is federation of
all the political organizations which
see virtual dictatorship in the Quezon
administration, including Bishop
Gregorio Aglipay's Republican party,
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's National
Socialist party, and Benigno Ramos
Sakdalistas, the group which staged
bloody uprising in 1885.
Macarthur Wins Approval.
Although objections to universal
military service continue, the plan de-
signed by Maj. Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur is being carried out. The army
has the rebelliouS Moros under con-
troll. However, the army has sup
planted education as the largest item
of government expenditures. In the
next fiscal year national defense will
cost $12.500,00O, about one-third Of
the total income Of the Philippine
government (excluding the windfalls
from the United States). Immensely
satisfied with Gen. Macarthur, the
field marshal of the Philippine army
IN Matt A~cav,,t1v, te contyir,cr tho
continuance Of his services upon his
retirement from the United States
Army at the end of the year.
Women of the Philippines became
last May the first of their sex to be
granted suffrage in the Orient. TAX
ing advantage of their newly acquired
right. women are running for provin-
cial governors and municipal mayors
in the long-delayed election next
month.
Pointing out that radical groups
may disturb the peace of the country,
President Quezon and the National
Assembly postponed the election. con-
stitutionally set for last June. The
continuation in Office Of every elective
municipal and provincial official de-
pended upon Quezon. Persistent cries
of dictatorship finally led to the set
ting of the election next month. 1t
is believed that, although number of
Popular Front candidates will be cata-
pulled into Office on the dictatorship
issue. the Fusion party, a coalition OF
the parties of Quezon and Vice Presi-
dent Sergio Osmena, will win hand
somely.
Japanese Expansion Feared.
President Quezon dismisses the jap
anese penetration Of Mindanao with
the remark, There is no Japanese
problem in Davao," but Fflipinos are
still apprehensive of japanese in
cursions. Right now," they say, the
Japanese have their hands full in
China, but what will happen to our
country when they are through there
and resume their southwark empire
march?" At the Manila hearings of
the joint preparatory committee of ex-
perts, japanese frankly and unabash-
edly asked for equal economic and
trade privileges in the Philippines
with the United States.
Relations between the High COM
missioner, the representative of the
President of the United States in the
Philippines, and the Commonwealth,
which was widely discussed editorially
in the United States few months ago,
may be described best by the following
excerpts from Quezon's recent message
to the National Assembly:
THE present United States High
Commissioner has been but few
months in our midst. Some of his
early acts were misrepresented or mis-
understood. 1t is my pleasure
and my duty to report to you-and
what I am going to say is no mere
gesture of official courtesy, but an
honest and straight talk-that could
wish for no better United States High
Commissioner in the Philippines than
his excellency, Paul " McNutt. ="
Since my return We have had some
difficult problems to settle and had
occasion to appraise the measure of
him. = He deserves our respect and
affection. The best spirit of mutual
cooperation characterizes our official
association, and We have also become
good friends"
Outstanding achievement of Com
missioner McNutt, besides his winning
the confidence of the Filipinos even
after he had made it plain that he, as
representative of the sovereign Coy
ernment precedes the President of the
Philippines. is the repeal of the law
which stopped the payments of PEN
sions to American teachers who had
served in the islands. McNutt urged
Quezon to recommend the repeal Of
the law, the enactment Of which the
, Filipino President himself had rec
commended.
Oyster Eating Is Urged