Evening star., 1939-04-30
U. 5. and Filipino
Officials 10 Push
Trade Proposal
Senate Committee Will
Get Plea to Review
Part Of Soyre Bill
By JAMES G. WINGO.

American and Filipino officials ad-
vocating the Roosevelt -Quezon 20
wear plan for trade between the
United States and the Philippines
this week will resume to press action
on their proposal, but on only half
of it.
Last week the Senate Committee
on Territories and Insular Affairs
quietly shelved the plan to make
the Philippines a liquidating eco
nomic protectorate of the United
States for IA years after the grant,
ing of its political independence in
1916. The sudden move by the
Senate committee, which had held
extensive hearings on the Sayre
bill, as the proposal is popularity
known, temporarily paralyzed the
forces advocating the proposal led
by Assistant Secretary of State
Francis B. Sayre, Philippine Resident
Commissioner Joaquin M. EliZalde
and Commonwealth Vice President
Sergio Osmena.
BY weeks end these forces had
obviously come to the conclusion
that half a loaf is better than
nothing, for they will soon ask the
Senate committee to reconsider that
portion OF the Sayre bill pertaining
to trade relationship from 1910 to
1916, during which the Philippines
will still be under American sov-
ereignty.
The Sayre bill in its original form
has no chance of reaching the Senate
floor this session. according to con-
gressional leaders interested in
Philippine affairs. Furthermore.
unless President Roosevelt assumes
leadership in the campaign to push
it in Congress, the proposal will have
no better chance of being revived
next session. Although he approved
of the plan when first published last
fall, he sent no special message to
Congress. as the advocates Of the
Sayre bill had expected.
Opposed by IsolatiOnists.
The proposal to cushion the eco
nomic impact of Philippine inde-
pendence was strongly opposed by
the isolationists and by domestic
producers of goods which compete
with products from the Philippines.
Chairman Millard TydingS and
his colleagues on the Senate Com
mittee on Territories and InSular
Affairs made Manuel Quezon the
scapegoat as they shelved the Philip
pine proposal. Ostensiblv relying
on unconfirmed reports that Presi-
dent QueZon may visit the United
i,, hp
fact that he had regular and Spe-
cial representatives in Washington,
Senator TydingS and his colleagues,
in brief statement explaining their
action. declared that they would like
to have him before them, 80 that
the matter might be dealt with in
the light of all facts obtalnable.'
However, the famed Filipino poll
tico has announced no plans to come
to Washington before next Septem-
Der. He could send a message to
the committee stating that he has
nothing to add to the testimony OF
Commissioner EliZalde. who was
praised by Chairman Tydings for
the conciseness Of his explanation
Of the Sayre bill. but authoritative
/Iurces say that the Commonwealth
President would not do this. At any
rate the Senators provided against
this eventuallty. They said they
also want to ".acquaint President
Quezon with the point of view of
the American people and interests"
They also have a little message for
him.
Ray of Hope Seen.
BackerS of the pigeonholed Sayre
bill blame the uncertain world sit
uation, stating that the views of the
committees isolationist members,
like Senators Nye. Reynolds, Clark,
Vandenberg. Lundeen and Bone,
have prevailed The world situa
ton" explanation was readily ac-
cepted by President Quezon.
Advocates of High Commissioner
Paul McNutt's proposal for re-ex-
animation of Philippine independ-
ence with the view of pOStponlng 1t
indefinitely see in the TydingS COM
mittee's statement a ray of hope, for
it placed no bar to re-eXaminatlOn.
The statement merely pointed out
that the committee had not been
asked to consider independence.
Salvador Araneta, prominent Fill
pino businessman who opposed the
Sayre bill vigorously, favors the
McNutt proposal. Urging the in
clusion of the Philippines within
Americas economic frontiers and
the formation of a more balanced
United Philippine compile
mentary economy, Araneta asked
the Tydings committee to kill the
Sayre bill because of its avowed
purpose to liquidate existing profit
able trade between the two coun-
tries shortly after independence.