Evening star., 1941-07-26
japan Freezes American Assets;
|ndo-China Occupation Is Started;
U.S.. Takes Over Philippine Army
Answer to Threat
Of War Affects
10000 Troops
BY JOHN c. HENRY,
Star Stsf Correspondent.

HYDE PARK, N. Y, July %
President Roosevelt today Or
dered into service of the armed
forces of the United States all
the organized military strength
of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines.
The move was interpreted as a
direct answer to the threat of war
in the Pacific area precipitated by
japanese occupation of French
Indo-China. less than 1000 miles
from the Philippines and located in
a commanding strategic position for
any aggression directed either at the
or the British base at Singapore.
War Department officials in
Washington said about $4,000
trained and partially trained
Philippine troops would be placed
under the command OF Maj. Gen.
George Grunert. commanding
general of the Philippine de-
partment, under the Presidents
order.
iOf this number. about 100000
are Reserves, 10000 are Philip
pine Scouts and about 1000 are
members of the well-trained
Philippines ConstubularyJ
Supplements Freezing.
As a military counter move TO the
Japanese tactics. todays order by
President Roosevelt supplements the
far-reaching economic structures i'm
posed on Japanese-A rela-
tlOnS last night with the freezing
of Japanese assets in this country
in effect an almost complete curtail-
ment of normal commercial inter-
course between these two nations.
Together these pressure steps
by Washington mean an end to a
policy of virtual appeasement which
this Government has followed for
the last two years toward the Toxic
partner in the Rome Berlin Toxic
Axis.
No details were available here as
to the immediate employment of the
Philippines military forces blanketed
into American service by the Presi-
dent today, but White House aides
said that Gen. George C. Marshall,
Army Chief of Staff, would hold q
press conference later at the War
Department for experimentation of
the order.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur, former
Army chief of staff. has been in COM
mand Of the Philippine forces for
several years and is understood to
have developed an efficient defense
force in the island TERRITORY.
Presidents Order.
Acting as commander in chief OF
the. Army and Navy of the United
States. the President declared in his
order today:
Il hereby call and order into the
service Of the armed forces of the
United States for the period of the
existing emergency, and place un-
der the command of general Off
Ger, United States Army, to be desig-
mated by the Secretary of War from
time to time. all of the organized
military forces of the government
OF the Commonwealth of the Philip
pines: Provided, that all naval COM
ponentS thereof shall be placed I'M
der the command Of the COM
mandant of the 18th Naval District,
United States Navy.
This order shall take effect with
relation to all units and personnel
of the organized military forces of
the government of the common
wealth of the Philippines. from and
| after the dates and hours, respec-
lively. indicated in orders to be
issued from time to time by the
general officer, United States Army
designated by the Secretary of War"
Macarthur Named in 1886.
Philippine independence from the
United States was provided in legis-
lation enacted in 1884, to become
fully effective in 1945. With the
severance of ties from this country
looming, increased consideration was
given Immediately to the building OF
defense forces by the commonwealth
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-3)