Evening star., 1942-03-23
.Sayre Reveals
He Escaped by
Submarine
High Commissioner
Says Less Than Half
Of Area Occupied
Earlier Story on Page A-2)

NEdTlleT StOfy On rage A-I.)
Francis B. Sayre, High Com
missioner to the Philippines, dis
closed today that all the gold
amounting to six and one-half
tons-and securities in the
islands had been removed before
the Japanese occupation and
were now in this country.
Mr.. Sayre refused to disclose the
value of the gold and securities or
the means by which they had been
removed.
The high commissioner. who ar
rived at San Francisco last week
from Honolulu, also disclosed that
he had escaped from Corregidor
Island off the Bataan Peninsula by
submarine and airplane.
Since the japanese completely
control the air and water around
the Philippines" he said. there are
only two possible means of travelling
from there, by submarine and by
air, and I have been travelling by
both means many thousands OF
miles"
Mr.. Sayre indicated that the trip
by submarine had been perilous and
said it was necessary to travel sub
merged, going to the surface only at
night to charge the batteries.
Less Than Half Occupied.
He estimated that less than half
the area of the Philippines was &C
tually in the hands of Japanese SOL
diers but explained that in many
cases it was impossible to draw a
line between occupied and unoc-
cupied areas.
Nine other members of his staff
also are on their way back to the
United States, along with Mrs. Sayre
and their son, he said.
He estimated that 1000 or more
American civilians remain in Man
ila, including about 25 members Of
his staff, left in charge of Claude A.
Buss of Philadelphia. the commits
sioner's executive secretary.
Mr. Sayre said he was going to
make it his business to see what
can be done toward getting a relief
ship into Manila with food for the
Americans stranded there. He also
hopes. he said. that such a ship
could bring back women and chill
dren and the wounded
No Direct Word.
Such a project would have to be
done through the Red Cross, he
pointed out.
Although he has had no direct
word from the Americans in Manila
since January /, Mr. Sayre said in
formation from various sources in
dicated most of those remaining
there were concentrated in the
Santo Tomas University. He said
he was considerably concerned
about their food situation.
In opening a press conference at
the Interior Department late today
Mr.. Sayre said he had been led to
wonder since returning to the United
States if the people here realized
the gravity of the war and the tre-
mendous nature of what they are
fighting for.
Praises Troops Morale.
He emphasized that we are fight
ing for the kind of world our chill
dren will live in"
Unless America goes into this
with everything she's got. tooth and
nail civilization is going back to
brutism.' he declared. America
certainly can win if the people get
down to it
Both the American and Filipino
soldiers on Bataan Peninsula and
Corregidor are doing "a fine job.
outfighting the Japs anywhere
wherever they have equal equip
ment.' Mr. Sayre declared. He
praised their magnificent morale. y
While he does not regard any
place as impregnable if the enemy
is willing to pay the price to cap
ture it, Mr. Sayre said the Japanese
would have to pay tremendous
price" if they ever captured Corregi-
dor and Il believe the Japs have de-
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