Evening star., 1939-10-21
Believes United Stutes
Must Keep Philippines
Islands, Free, Would Soon
Be Lost to japan,
Writer Says
To the Editor Of The Star:

W 'NS WV
To the Editor Of The Star:
An Associated Press dispatch from
Manila the other day reveals that the
retention of the Philippines indefinitely
by the United States is now being advo-
Gated openly by Filipino nationalist
leaders because of the unsettled interna-
tional situation.
This bit of information Is without
doubt disturbing to the japanese who
expect Uncle Sam to abandon the Philip
pines in 1916, so that they can gobble
them up to bring about the new order in
Asia of which we have heard so much
of late.
1t does not take much imagination to
see that the japanese, patterning their
foreign policy after that of Hitler's Ger
many and other totalitarian states, are
very desirous of annexing the Philip
pines, occupying as they do strategic
position in East Asia, commercially, po-
litically and militarily.
The question, it seems to me, is not
whether the Filipinos desire independ-
the United States would be willing to
give up the Philippines only to have
them fall into the hands of the Japanese
who may utilize these islands as STEP
ping stone to the eventual elimination OF
Americas influence from ASiatic affairs
and the collapse Of Americas CONNER
cial supremacy in that part of the world.
There appears preponderant Amerl-
can sentiment for the retention of the
Philippines by the United States, come
what may. But the lack of definite,
consistent colonial policy of, the Gov
ernment has contributed to the errone-
Gus impression that the American people
are not vitally concerned about what may
happen to the Philippines. At least the
japanese have had reasons to believe
that America has not fully realized the
real strategic value of the Philippines to
her international trade expansion with
its concomitant advantages. The
American people, certainly, have given
out the impression that their Philippine
policy is based not on strength and a
clear conviction of their interests but
upon weakness and fear and confusion
of mind. That impression has given the
japanese inspiration to declare them
selves as the sole arbiters of Asian des-
tinies 1t has given unscrupulous Filipino
politicians the chance to use the indie
pendence slogan as means to maintain
and perpetuate their political power.
The only sound course is for the United
States Government to maintain a strong,
consistent colonial policy as regards the
Philippines, intended to impress Japa-
nese imperialists and native politicians
with its resolution and its strength rath-
er than with its weakness and its fear.
This is the only kind of policy which
will be respected sufficiently to permit
the American people to keep the Philip
pines for their own highest good in the
Orient. There is little respect in the
world today for government with
vacillating colonial or foreign policy. If
the United States is to pass through the
ordeal of the years to come having pre-
served its security and its self-respect
and its honor, it must begin by putting
japanese imperialists on notice that it is
| unafraid. that it is united, that it is
mature, that it cannot be intimidated by
threats of aggression by any foreign
power, that it knows its interests and is
capable of defending them.
Only in that spirit of confident self
reliance and defiant attitude shall the
American people be able to preserve the
Philippines from japanese imperialism
and Filipino politicians stupidity and
greed, to preserve their lives, their for
tunes and the liberties that they cherish.
TEDDY DE NOLASCO.
Brooklyn, N. Y.
September 27.