Evening star., 1939-02-05
Guam and Economic Reports
May Reopen Philippine Issue
Impossible to Divorce Political and Trade Aspects
of independence, Business
Leaders Believe
Bv James G. WinpO.

A realistic re-examination of Philip
pine independence is imminent as
result of the unusual conjuncture of two
important documents submitted to Con-
gress-the report of the Joint Prepara-
tory Committee on Philippine Affairs
and the report of the Naval Board.
The first report, recently transmitted
to Congress by President Roosevelt, rec
ommends formula under which the
Philippines would continue to be eco
nomically dependent upon the United
States up to 1860, IA years after the
Islands attain political independence in
1916, as provided by the McDuffie- -Tyd-
ings Act.
The second report recommends that
Guam should be developed into a strong
advance feet base. 1t points out that
so long as Guam existed as strong air
and submarine base, hostile operations
against the Philippines would be pre-
carious undertaking.
Business Behind McNutt.
In Manila, after the publication of
the Philippine report late last November,
businessmen american, Filipino and
foreign) became more convinced than
ever that it is impossible to divorce the
economic aspects of Philippine independ-
ence from the political and that inde-
pendence and Philippine trade prefer
ences in the United States market for
an indefinite time were incompatible.
Philippine businessmen are behind High
Commissioner Paul V. McNutt's proposal
for realistic re-examination" of inde-
pendence and were disappointed to find
no mention of it in the report, despite
the fact that the political phase of inde-
pendence was not within the purview
of the j. P. c. p A. Joint Preparatory
Committee on Philippine Affairs.
The businessmen believe that the
report does not provide solution of the
Philippine trade and economic problem.
They consider the leport's recommended
tio.'s mere palliative-an attempt to
post ne the countrys economic death
by only few years.
Now Up to Filipinos.
One prominent American businessman
stated: There can't be a solution un-
less the Filipinos take deliberate action
on the question of independence. Mr..
McNutt opened the door when he advo-
Gated re-examination 1t is now up to
the Filipinos to press and to forward
their case
The Filipino head of a number of
large business firms said: The only
course open is to give up this idea of
independence in 1916 and support a
move to elect Mr. McNutt President of
the United States"
Commissioner McNutt, who has just
completed a two-week trip with his
wife and his daughter Louise to Indo-
China, Siam and Singapore, is planning
to leave Manila for the United States
on the President Coolidge February 8.
Philippine businessmen hope that in
the United States he will make many
speeches in favor of postponing inde-
pendence indefinitely. Inasmuch as he
is an avowed presidential candidate,
what he says on the Philippines will
command attention, and for Commits
sioner McNutt, who does not want to
be involved at this time in controversial
domestic issues, the subject of Philip
pine independence will come in handy.
Two Bills Have Been Drafted.
Committee on Philippine Affairs have
drafted two bills to effectuate the rec
concentrations of the J. P. c. P. A.
When commonwealth officials received
copies of the bills early this month,
they promptly took exception to several
portions, particularly the one which
takes away as an income of the Philip
pine government certain excise taxes
imposed on Philippine products and
collected in the United States. The
Filipinos also wanted the appropria-
ton of the sugar excise taxes made
mandatory.
A mission, headed by Commonwealth
Vice President Sergio Osmena, has been
in Washington the past two months
to represent President Quezon in the
task of effectuating the j. P. c. P. A.
recommendations. This mission and
Resident Commissioner Joaquin Miguel
Elizalde, who is cooperating with Mr..
Osmena, face none-too- promising Sit
uation for Philippine legislation.
Congress is busy with more important
domestic and international problems.
Many Congressman believe that the
Philippine problem has been definitely
settled-settled to the satisfaction of
the Filipinos, if not Americans. There
is a feeling among some that if the
Philippine problem is again reopened
there would be no end to concessions
that the Filipinos may seek in the
future.
May Start Struggle in Congress.
Although the efforts of the Roose-
welt administration and the Philippine
mission will be confined to the economic
phase of United States Philippine rela-
tionship, the consideration of the pro-
posed Philippine legislation may be the
spark to start the struggle between two
groups in Congress: One for keeping
United States sovereignty over the Phil