Evening star., 1940-07-21

explode sudden and colossal emer-
gency for us.
First, about Konoye. This polite
hammered aristocrat is far from
being temperamental. He is q cool,
close-reasoning materialist in his
faith in the destiny Of Japan. He
sees eye to eye with the army chief
and the navy chief in the council
OF four who are now to rule abso-
lutely. on the totalitarian one party
system, 100000 900 people, including
those of Japan proper.
Toxic CANDLES for Power.
The powerful Japanese Navy will
cooperate with the Army in fur
ther expansion. They will keep on
going while the European war makes
the going good. Their plan has been
thoroughly thought out from their
premises and viewpoint. If it is a
gamble for relief from JapanIs eco
nomic war stress, for mama in place
of limited rations of rice and fish
for the Japanese masses, then that,
too, has been considered. The gam
BILE Is one for more power, for
natural resources Japan needs, for
a mighty stake all the way to the
Indian Ocean and southwark toward
Australia.
1t is a far cry from the day of
Admiral Dewey's victory at Manila
Bay, which we accepted as destiny's
mandate to teach the natives, by
! setting up the little red school house
in the jungle, how to govern them
selves; far cry from the fledgling
Japan of that day, asking her way
| in modest ingratiation to back seat
at the world council table of nations.
The cry Is not so far back TO
Quezon's spellbinding campaigns for
independence. Z His appeal was to
the spirit of liberty. Spirit was
above everything. Never mind trade,
or defense. The islands would de-
fend themselves.
Quezon an Adroit Politician.
Half-Spanish, half Filipino, ORR
entail in subtlety. extravagant
spender, good dresser, adroitly
plausible in quick shifts, gay traveller
and playboy, often in Japan, Quezon
also knows Washington and its
politics we'll and how to play both
ends against the middle.
Long ago in one Of his European
tours he called on Premier Musso-
lini, and Mussolini became an idol
to him. Now President Quezon is
announced as favoring a one-party
system,S Fasclst-Communist style,
which will require certain restric-
tions upon idividual freedom
Gone is the hope that the Philip
pines could remain neutral owing
to the jealousies of surrounding
powers blocking one another. The
power of Japan encircles the islands.
Japan is in no hurry to take them.
She does not want war with us or
to face our economic blockade. We
have been sending her munitions
for her war in China. She now is
irritated that we have stopped the
flow to meet the press of our de-
Tense preparations.
But she would dare war If we
began building naval bases in the
Philippines 50 near her, for war
operations, and so distant from our
coast. II we don't prepare to defend
the islands, we cannot defend them.
Then what? They will be easy prey
for Japan, with their 100000
population of various races, only
4,O0O,OOO speaking English.
Vulnerable to Bombing.
l
them. One or two incendiary bombs
will set a village or town of in
fiammable nipa thatches on fire.
The little Filipino Army, which Gen.
Douglas Macarthur has trained, will
face overwhelming Japanese num-
bers. The terrified natives will be
in flight, spurred on in their panic
by sprays of machine-gun fire from
diving planes.
OF late Quezon's propaganda has
been busy in Washington with in
timations that independence by 1s45
may not be practicable. He would
like to continue the relation of our
responsibility for the islands de-
tense while he has political author
ity. He makes a point now. not Of
the spirit of liberty, but Of retain
ing the favoring reciprocal tariffs
for Philippine products.
Too Much "Hush- Hush"
There has been too much "hush-
hush" about the Philippine situa-
ton. It is time we realistically faced
all its potentialities. Our future is
too much subject to Playboy Que
IONS adventurous temperament An
incident out of the cumulative native
antipathy to the japanese colonists
In the islands, which Japan will
find convenient to utilize, and we
shall have a flash Of news compell-
ing us to make the decision to fight
for the flag or haul 1t down.
A totaitarian dictatorship being
the outcome of our costly effort to
teach the natives democracy, we
should avoid any danger of q war
in Quezon's defense and leave him
to associate himself with the central
totalitarian power OF Japan. Senator
Tydings might do his country a
service by writing bill to get out
now" We can continue the favoring
tariff on Philippine products or
allow definite bonus equal to the
cost of two battleships. which would
be cheaper than to build q three-
/ ocAan navy