Evening star., 1942-03-24
Sayre Hopes 10 Send
Food Relief Ship 10
Americans in Manila
Commissioner Believes
Jops Consider Capture Of
Corregidor Too Costly

Francis B. Sayre, United States
High Commissioner to the Philip
pines, convinced that the Japanese
are not ready to "pay the price" to
capture Bataan and Corregidor.
turned his attention today to efforts
to get food relief ship to Manila.
Mr.. Sayre. who reported to Presi-
dent Roosevelt yesterday after
hazardous trip out Of beseiged Cor
regidor fortress. told press con-
ference later that he was "consid-
erably concerned about the food
situation" for the 1,500 to 1000
American civilians remaining in
Manila.
He said he planned to work with
the Red Cross in an effort to ar
range for ship to carry food to
these stranded Americans, and pos
sibly bring out the wounded and
the women and children. Arrange
ments would have to be made with
the Japanese for such project.
Mr.. Sayre was high in his praise
of the magnificent morale" Of the
American defenders of Corregidor
and Bataan Peninsula. declaring
that they are 'outflghting" the jap
anese whenever they get chance.
Capture Would Be Costly.
1t is possible for Corregidor. like
any other fortified position, to be
captured if the enemy is willing to
pay the price" he pointed out, but
added that he believed the Japanese
had decided the conquest of Correg1-
dor would cost too much"
They apparently believe they can
get more for their money by con-
centrating their efforts on North
Australia now" he said. Il know
that the American and Filipino
troops will fight to the end and exact
a tremendous price before any one
could overrun Corregidor."
1t will be long and difficult 1oo
to get reinforcements to the Philip
pines, he emphasized, pointing out
that they would have to fight their
way" up through the islands from
Australia.
Mr.. Sayre estimated, however.
that less than half the area OF the
Philippines is under japanese occu-
patton. Considerable guerrilla war
fare is continuing throughout the
islands, he said. Fifth column &C
tivity has been generally ineffective,
he added.
Only very few" civilians were
removed from Manila to Corregidor
when the japanese occupied the
capital, and those were officials and
their families, Mr.. Sayre said. Nine
of his staff, along with his wife and
stepson, left there with him and
now are on their way to the United
States.
25 of Staff in Manila.
Military censorship prevents dis
closure of what he had to say about
the methods they used in getting
away from Corregidor. and meas
ures taken to prevent securities and
other readily negotiable assets In
Manila from falling into Japanese
hands.
About IS of his staff remain in
Manila to do what they can toward
looking out for the interests of
Americans there. Mr.. Sayre said.
He has had no direct word from
them since January l, but has heard
indirectly that they are mot being
treated too badly" Most Of the
American civilians were interned in
the Santo Tomas University, where
they are dependent on their former
Filipino servants and the Red Cross
for food, he said The latest indi-
rect information is that women and
children now are permitted to stay
at their homes, he said, with other
restrictions being relaxed somewhat.
There was no safe way to evacu-
ate the mass Of civilians from
Manila, the Commissioner explained.
He said there was no room on Cor
regidor, where in any event life Is
very hard-so hard that some people
had difficulty sticking It,"