The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-04

Philippines are too rich prize to be thrown away, perhaps the only solution is for the American gov- ernment to take over the islands completely and run their internal as well as their external affairs. Just how this might be done is un- certain.
 STATUS QUO HAS
 DRAWBACKS
 If the U. s. took over the islands, giving them territorial government such as Alaska and Hawaii now have, many of the problems could be solved. But opposing this, as well as the idea of taking over absolute control of the islands, is the heri- tage of the independence movement. President Quezon and the Filipino leaders now in office could hardly be expected to jump down from the pedestals they have mounted to shout the doctrines of Philippines for Filipinos."
 :, And so it would seem that Uncle Sam has the Philippine carabao caught squarely by the tail. He can't let go and he can't pull in the tail, hand over hand, till he sits firmly astride its back with a half Nelson on the horns.
 Even the status quo has its draw backs.
 To foster independence, the United States has done everything it could think of, and the question of wheth- CT the U. s. colonization experiment on the islands has been success or 8 failure is 8 topic for debate in every foreign office in the, world. Dutch and British in the Indies and India probably think we are saps for not having exploited the islands more and for not keeping the na- tives in a more abject and subject state, giving them the rfuits and benefits of civilization more slowly.
 After 40 years of American oc- cupation, Manila itself is kind of American metropolitan shambles. There are beautiful buildings and beautiful parks and the old walled city still has its color and glamor. But the presidential palace is next door to brewery, and all over the city, matched roof novels rear their unsightly slovenliness alongside re- spectability. Maybe this democ- racy, but it isn't city planning. We have opened schools wherever we could, with the result that Eng fish is now almost as widely used as Spanish. Manila is education crazy, with universities, night schools and colleges turning out a white-collar class beyond all needs of the population.
 We have foStered self-government and the idea that the islands would eventually be independent. A con Stitutlonal government has been set up, based on the American repub- lie pattern, with an elective presi- dent, national assembly, and local offices.
 MONEY ISN'T LACKING
 We have poured millions into the noble experiment. After passage of the Tydings-McDuffie act, excise taxes were placed on Philippine ex- ports of sugar and coconut oil, On Nov. 15, 1940, these excise taxes will be placed on all exports to the United States, and the revenues of these taxes are all turned back to the Philippine treasury to support their experiment in self-goyern- ment. Over S50O00,0O0 was collected in the first year sugar and coconut oil taxes were levied, with the re- suit that, at the beginning of 1889, the Philippine treasury had a cash surplus of nearly $10O,000,OOO.
 The islands themselves have poured out millions for their inter nal development, building schools and bridges and roads in a vast net work covering the principal islands. Just this month, Sayre highway, named in honor of the present U. s. high commissioner to Manila, was opened in Mindanao as first step to further homestead settlement of the rich, virgin farm lands of the big southern island.
 A start has been made at na- tional defense, the building of a Philippine national army. Begin- ming in 1886, all Filipino males ]