The Washington times., 1938-03-22
Mr.. Manuel QuezOn and
Mr.. Paul McNutt

HUHOSE who have been able to read something besides
the war news in the last few days have been treated
to an interesting exchange of views between Manuel
Quezon president of the Philippine Commonwealth, and
Paul V. McNutt, United States High Commissioner to
the Philippines.
Mr. McNutt first radoed an appeal for indefinite post
ponement of Philippine independence rather than indie
pendence in 1916 as now ordained by act of Congress-
Mr. Quezon, long fighter for complete independence,
countered by saying he could favor such posponement
IF the Philippine) Commonwealth were given full
powers to control and manage national life, together
with better economic relations with the United Sates
The whole thing reads to US like another manifestation
Of human nature
Mr. McNutt has been Philippine high commissioner,
meaning No. / Boy the islands, since February %,
x,, 1887. 1t is nice job. Manila is said to be
an agreeable place for all the heat; you
V0tWe hire 18 servants or so there for the wages Of
one here; it would please almost anybody to have native
politicians consistently fawning around and setting up
the drinks and the dinner parties It is fair inference
that Mr.. McNut likes the job and feels with complete
sincerity would be bad for the United States to let
go of such pleasant set of tropical islands.
Mr. Quezons mental processes easier to figure
out The Philippine President has evidently taken note of
Japans conquests in Asia and its appetite for more con-
quests and decided that would be fine thing for the
United States to retain the privilege of defending the
Philippines That all he wants the United States to re-
tain. All other rights and perquises in the Philippines
are to go to Mr. Quezon and his fellow Filipino politicians
Our answer to Messrs. McNutt and Quezon should be
a short "No dice" We should 60 further than that We
should hasten complete Philippine independence in every
ue' w i''o u A1" w The Philippines relation
Get Rid of Them Quick +o 1anan resemble, in manv
ways the late Austrias relation to Germany The Fpnos
and Japanese racial cousins if not brothers. They
don't speak the language but they look at life and
the world in much the same way. The japanese have
learned by trial and how to live comfortably in the
Philippines. Large Philippine districts now heavily
populated by Japanese Settlers who find the islands much
agreeable than Americans find them for pioneering
Suppose Japan should decide to jump into the Philip
pines without warning, Hitler jumped into Austria. If
stood national pride and resolved to retake the
islands, would have to send all of Navy there
$1,000 miles from San Francisco), and follow up with
100000 or so fighting 1t is doubtful that could
retake the islands,
If we didn't, and lost our Navy trying it would mean
catastrophe If did retake them Messrs Quezon and
pals would pipe up again for complete Philippine indie
pendence about the time began hauling home the first
shipments of dead.
Our safe with the Philippines is to cut them
adrf fast possibly can, and resolve not to
about what happens to them after that. They
weak salient; neck pushed out in the Far East.
Hawaii is natural Pacific outpost and the point
which we should hinge our Pacific defense plans.
We should persstently improve already powerful
Notifications and big naval base there And defense
TIM Shine plans should contemplate showdown
with the Imperial Japanese Navy some
FOT OHe where west of Hawaii where Navy
will have its best chance of victory Hold Hawaii, and
japanese frontier is $500 miles west of rich and
tempting Pacific Coast Lose Hawaii, and Japanese
frontier snaps back to San Francisco, Los Angeles
Seattle
To keep that frontier where want it, far out in the
Pacific need navy twice powerful Japan's
navy under and and above the water. We need the
best navy in the world