Twin-City herald., 1939-10-14
WASHINGTON
JOTTINGS

Reports have reached Washington
that sentiment in the PHILIPPINES is
steadily piling up against cutting en-
tirely adrft from the United States in
1916. as called for under the lndepen-
dence Act The proposal of Assemb-
LYMAN Jose Romero before the Nation
al Assembly at Manila to postpone in
dependence indefinitely, came as no
surprise to those in Washington who
have followed the Philippine situation
for so long.
Significance was attached, however,
to the fact that prominent member of
the joint preparatory committee, pol
itico high in the councils of the party
of President Quezon, has seen fit to
announce his convictions publicly.
Many Filipineo leaders, regardless of
rank or political affiliation, have pri-
vately expressed themselves as doubt
full of the wisdom of the existing in
dependence plan, BUT most of them
hesitated to go on record as Romero
has done.
What Washington's reaction would
be, if and when the people of the Phil
ippines came with a petition asking for
an indefinite postponement OF inde-
pendence, is problematical. Right now
it would certainly meet with tremen-
dous opposition.
Some members of Congress would
like the United States to get out of the
Orient as quickly as possible. Some
believe it was a mistake to grant the
islands independence, seeing in then
an important economic outpost
Still others see high moral oblga
ton to be lived up to out there, on th'
grounds that inasmuch as we forcet
the Filipinos to come into our house
we have no right to throw them on
now, against their will.
There are, of course, many person
and officials who point out that tn
PHILIPPINES, with their independence
might be easy prey for some of tn
nations that are famous for picking o
small countries unable to defend them
selves.
At any rate it's all causing muc
discussion.
And there are many observers. wh
are, this time afraid to forecast, {
venture a guess, on what the final ou
come will be-but are more or lie!
convinced that the present war ma
yet leave a new Filipino baby on Unc
Sans doorstep.
I do know this!
The Filipinos are determined to SCI
a new status.
The Commerce Departments Blu:
ness Advisory Council has turned
attention to Latin American trade pc
sibilities after joining in the Admin
tration's campaign against unwarrar
ed price increases.
The Council, composed of fifty-thr
leaders in industry and finance, agre
this week to act as liaison betwe
government and business in keeping
watchful eye on the price situation
su1ting from the war in Europe.
The Council, have learned, insi
its action would be in a strictly vol,
tary capacity. Its membership CO
sists of heads of many large corpo
tons and these men have spent c.
siderable time studying various gu
tions.
Taking the methods of major ind
tries. the regional laboratories of
United States Department of Agric
ture are installing pilot plants to de-
mine the feasibility of new methods
creating industrial materials from fs
products.
The pilot plants will carry new
velopments through the doubtful st
where manufactures, who depend
profits, are unwilling to venture.
ten the laboratory shows that
tain process can be done in the
tube stage, according to DIR. W.
Skinner, associate chief of the Bur
of Agricultural Chemistry and Eng
ering.