Evening star., 1938-02-27
McNutt Visit May Change
Our Attitude on Philippines
High Commissioners Conferences With President
Roosevelt MAY Emphasize International
BY JAMES G. WINGO.

BY JAMES G. WINGO.
ONFERENCES between President
Roosevelt and High Commissioner
Paul Worries McNutt the past week
represent another step in the long
study by representatives of the United
States and Philippine Commonwealth
governments Of the status of the Philip-
pines.
commissioner McNutt who recently
completed his first year as the highest
representative of United States sovereienty
IN tne Ph.lppines will spend much of
MS three or four weeks stay here in
acquainting Washington officials with the
latest Far Eastern developments. Observers
oeneVe that his conferences may reopen
the Philippine independence question by
linking 1t to more far-reaching interna.
tional questions.
Previous to his spectacular trans-Pacific
Hight to the United States, Commissioner
McNutt held conferences with Filipino lead
ers. made Investigations of Philippine con-
dltlons in all parts of the archipelago. yis-
hed China and conferred with Admiral
Harry E. Yarnell, commander of the United
States Asiatic Squadron 1t is entirely
possible that the emphasis placed heretofore
on the economic phases of Philippine inde-
pendence may now be transferred to inter-
national politics and the part the United
States, in future years, is to play in the
Orient
New View of independence.
Recent events in China have made Fill
plnos take serious notice of the Japanese
menace to the Philippines Japan's positive
actions demonstrate clearly that its i'm
perialistic aspiration can be quickly and
decisively translated into reality and have
aroused fears among all classes of Filipinos
In the last year many Filipino leaders
in politics, commerce and the professions
have come out openly in favor of con-
tinuing the present transitional common
wealth government indefinitely-withm more
thought given to keeping the ties with the
favor Of independence.
The Sino-Japanese war came at very
opportune moment for Philippine destiny
Because Of justified, unquenchable fears
among the masses, Filipino politicos, who
have been vocal advocates of immediate
independence. now find in the aggressive
japanese imperialistic march an "out" for
themselves. Many of them now claim that
there is no sense in having independence
from the United States if it cannot be
maintained and protected.
Furthermore, Filipinos face the fact that
independence as now provided will bring the
end OF practically the sole outlet for Philip
pine products, the vast United States mar
ket. Commissioner McNutt last week de-
clared that something must be done
to avoid economic murder" If the COM
paratively mild restrictions on Philippine
products entering this country effective
in 1910 constitute murder, observers wanted
to know what the imposition of 100 per
cent duties on Philippine exports would be.
Kept Himself Aloof.
When the Joint Preparatory Committee
on Philippine Affairs, headed by Ambas-
sador John Van A. MacMurray was in the
islands last year investigating and hold
ing hearings Commissioner McNutt main
tanned an independent position, kept Of
ficially and intimately in touch with what
was going on and made no effort to run
the show or influence the committee in
any way whatsoever. This attitude on
the part of Commissioner McNutt was
calculated to give him better position to
discuss the Preparatory Committees report
with the President if and when it is COM
pleted.
The committee is still working on its
report five months after the last hearings
in Manila. Occasional difficulties and
differences have arisen between the Amer
lean and Filipino members. At one time
Commonwealth President Manuel Quezon
threatened to withdraw the Filipino group
because Of a disagreement on one point.
Early in February, two months after the
American members had returned, the Fill
pino members of the committee arrived
in Washington to help finish the long
awaited report.
Observers point out that if the COM
Ynittee does not complete its report soon
its facts and figures will prove stale at the
time Of its publication and will be of no
better earthly use than the well-written,
comprehensive reports prepared by the
United States Tariff Commission in previ-
Gus years. Senators and Representatives
approached by this correspondent stated
that even If the committee finishes the
report in March it will be too late for con-
sideration in this session of Congress
Report Promised Soon.
Reliable sources state that the report will
come out at an early date because it is
logical that President Roosevelt would like
to 60 over it in detail with his representa-
tive in the Philippines, the high commits
sioner. President Roosevelt himself re-
Gently revealed the probable main recon-
mendation the committee will make, that
is, to allow the islands some IA years of
grace after independence in 1916 before
putting them by gradual rises in duties.
on the same tariff basis as foreign coun-
tries
The Roosevelt Philippine program, as
outlined above, precludes early independ-
ence It is based upon the present Nc
Dune -Tydings Philippine Independence
Act, which stipulates freedom for the is
lands on July 4, 1916. To accomplish his
purpose of cushioning the impact of in
dependence upon the Philippines, President
Roosevelt said that it would be necessary
to modify the economic provisions of the