Evening star., 1942-02-15

JORGE B. VARGAS
Former private secretary to Phil
ippine President Quezon and noD
"Chiet of State" at Manila.
A. P. Photo.
THE invaders of the Philippines side
tracked notoriously pro-Japanese
Filipinos and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo y
Fanny, whom the War Department re-
Gently called "a sort of Quisling," when
they formed their vassal government at
Manila Jorge B. Vargas, the newly -ap,
pointed "chief of state" and almost all
the members of his cabinet, as an
nounced by Toxic, are onetime high
ranking aides of Commonwealth Presi-
dent Manuel Quezon.
None of the well-known. articulate,
longtime advocates of union of some
sort with Japan, like Pho Duran lawyer
for japanese interests, and Benigno
Ramos, anti American rabble-rouser, was
included in Vargas cabinet. The Japa-
nese apparently are playing their Philip
pine cards cleverly, for the pre-invasion
Japanophiles we're unpopular among
their countrymen.
The invaders also passed over, for the
time being at least, Gen. Aguinaldo who,
apparently as a Japanese tool, has been
radiocasting appeals to the gallant Fill
pinos fighting under the American flag
in Bataan to lay down their arms. Re-
Gently he went 20 far as to ask doughty
Gen. Douglas Macarthur to surrender
to the enemy
The Japanese have not discarded
Aguinaldo by any means, for apparently
the Vargas government is only pro-
visional. They most likely will put up
the 72-year old ex-rebel as a Filipino
Marshal Petain or Quisling, If and when
the projected independent" Philippine
government can be auspiciously launched.
Eager to Rule Again.
Knowing that for 40 years Aguinaldo
has nurtured an ambition to head his
country's government once more, the
japanese may well have promised to
help the generalissimo of the Filipino
insurrectionists realize it. Aguinaldo
has never forgotten that the Americans
terminated his presidency of the Short
lived first Philippine Republic and that
astute, nimble Manuel Quezon, a mere
major in his revolutionary army, con-
sistently blocked his efforts to regain his
leadership of the Filipino nation.
Aguinaldo doubtless believes that the
time to settle old scores is now or never.
Tho Apooricopc orc dopuaro,,clv m the
defensive in Bataan and Corregidor, and
Quezon has thrown his lot with them.
Once at a Malacanang Palace recep-
ton Aguinaldo pointed out to an Amer
ican acquaintance the room where he
stayed as the priced prisoner of war of
Military Governor Arthur Macarthur.
father Of the commander of the Amer
ican-Filipino forces at Bataan. When
told that he might live again in Mala-
canang, Aguinaldo replied, "Quien sabe,
amigo?" (Who knows, my friendO
Another revolutionary general whom
the japanese are supposedly holding in
reserve is the irreconcilably anti-Amer-
| ican Artemio Ricarte y Vibora, self
| styled Viper" who 40-odd years ago fled
| to Japan and vowed never to return
until the Americans were driven out of
the Philippines. The Japanese took him
back to Manila and put him up in grand
style, obviously to show other Filipinos
| the fruit of collaboration. In the city
where automobiles are limited to military
use, the 77-year- Viper" has been
| riding in a big limousine, escorted by
armed japanese motorcyclists.
Probably an Adviser.
| Ricarte and his generalissimo are prob
ably serving as genros, or elder states
men, of the vassal Vargas government.
In Japan the sdvice-giving genros have
often been more powerful than the men
in high offices. These two Japanophiles
may we'll set the pace for the Vargas
administration.
If Vargas, Quezon's closest friend and
private secretary with cabinet rank at
the time the commonwealth President
evacuated Manila, is sincerely coll9borat-
ing with the Japanese, he has made
himself his former boss enemy. For
Quezon, the duly elected Philippine chief
of state, recently reafirmed, his loyalty
to the United States and his faith in
eventual American victory.
Vargas, in his first radio address as
"Chief of States" appealed to the Philip
| pine people for their support Of the new
| government, according to Toxic. Previ-
ously he repeatedly affirmed to the In
vaders 1.-The Filipino peoples desire to
cooperate with Japan toward eStab-
lishment of the Greater East Co-pros-
perity Sphere" and expressed his pleas
ure over the opportunity to cooperate
with the Japanese Army in his admin
istrative function as well as to maintain
order in the Philippine capital.
Before his appointment as head Of the
new government, Vargas was the jap
anese-designated "Chief Administrator