The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-07

an enormously expensive one.
Naturally it will be job for our
sea fighters, to attend to. To get
to the archipelago's vicinity they'll
have to cross two or three thou
sand miles Of ocean, even from
Hawaii, to say nothing Of our
western mainland. To be sure,
Secretary Knox promises us more
bases for our warships on the
other side OF the Pacific Singa-
pore, for instance. But these pros
pective bases are as far away as
the Philippines are. There's all
that salt water to negotiate, no
matter how many bases we have.
Japan on the opposite hand, has
formidable base at the southern
end of Formosa, a scant over
nights steaming from a northern
Filipino landing.
Obviously the clash, II one oc-
ours will be mapped especially for
the Japs convenience and about as
inconveniently as possible from
Uncle Sans standpoint.
What Can We Gain?
And If. again, the rumpus does
eventuate, and II we win, as fore
cast by Secretary Knox, with our
navy mems Endorsement. what-ll
we gain by it?
It's been emphasized again and
again that the Philippines never
have been an asset to US; only an
expense and a liability. Moreover.
they're to have their independence
shortly. Nevertheless, comments
Secretary Knox, so long as they're
under our flag we'll defend EN-. l
don't think anybody'll dispute the
propriety of that utterance Even
though we may not want EN-. it
would be an intolerable affront to
have EN- taken away from US
forcibly.
And even after they become
with our blessing, independent?
Even then we probably shan't like
to see Japan grabbing EN- irhme-
diately. Our sense Of responsible
ity may wear off in the course of
time but only. in all likelihood,
after a considerable interval.
The fact is, as our state and
navy departmental functionaries
currently remark quite frequently,
we certainly stuck our neck out in
a most injudicious fashion when
we took those islands over from
Spain following Admiral Dewey's
Manila Bay viotory-a victory that
wished a highly undesirable over
seas possession onto our hands, as
repeatedly has been demonstrated
since then.
over and over I've heard compe-
tent commentators in Washington
blame Rudyard Kipling for that
error, as they describe Il.
Rudyard. at the juncture re-
ferred to, was at the flood tide Of
his stories relative to the activities
OF the English in India They
caught the American fancy We.
wanted to be a far-Aung empire
also, with dependencies to send our
younger sons" to. The Philippines
offered precisely such an opportu-
nifty, we reckoned. We grabbed at
the chance, accordingly. Now we're
having our troubles to unload it.
Defend Themselves
The suggestions made that may
be the Flipinos can defend them
selves against the Japs.
General Douglas Macarthur, our
former American chief Of staff, is
trying today to train a Philippine
army. His account is that the
japanese can't afford an invasion
Of the Islands, either financially or
numerically. But Filipino Presi-
dent Manuel Quezon. who ought
to be a pretty fair judge, doesn't
agree with him. Quezon's verdict
is that successful defense Of the
archipelago, at best, is doubtful.
We're rushing thither such war
planes as we can spare, anyway.
II we can scare up any additional
surface war craft we're due to
send them likewise.
Rudyard Kipling was primarily
responsible for the situation
And Teddy Roosevelt was a
strong booster for the islands &C.
QUESTION.
The Filipinos aren't TO blame