The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1943-11-16
COMMONWEALTH
BANQUET HELD
LAST EVENING
Filipino Society Of Juneau
Celebrates at Eighth
Anniversary Affair

Soon, it cannot be too soon, the
second and final battle of the Phil
pines will begin
These are the words of Manuel L.
Quezon, President of the Philippine
Commonwealth and leader of the
Philippine government which was
established in Washington, D. c.,
after the japanese occupation of the
islands eighteen months ago.
Disregarding the Jap sponsored
puppet government now operating
in their homeland, Juneau's Filipino
Society, in common with their peo-
pie throughout the world, look for
ward to the time when their army,
under the leadership of General
Douglas Macarthur will once more
march side by side into the Philip
pines to drive the invaders from
the islands.
Wartime Demonstration
Last evening the Gold Room of
the Baranof Hotel was the scene of
the Eighth Commonwealth Day ban
quet, marking the second wartime
observance of the annual affair by
Juneau's Filipino Society.
Approximately $50 guests assem-
bled for the formal celebration, with
number of representatives of the
armed forces adding a military note
to the picture. A patriotic theme
was carried out in the colorful table
decorations, with the American flag
grouped at intervals with the flag of
the Philippines and that of Alaska
POSTMASTER for the occasion was
A. T. Fajardo, and music during the
banquet was provided by the Island
er String Ensemble composed Of
Messrs. Frank Pineda, Don Hucson
and Pascual Niera.
Vocal selections were given by
Miss Mary Jukich and Miss Juanita
Diaz, both receiving bouquets of
flowers following their encores.
Fred Fulsencio gave the welcome
address and Eddie Belarde, speaking
on the future of the Philippines
after the war, received an ovation
from those present at the close of
his talk.
Guest speaker of the evening was
E. l.. Bartlett, Secretary OF Alaska
and Acting Governor.
Addressing members of the Fill
Pine Society at their Commonwealth
banquet for the third successive
year, Mr.. Bartlett said, in part:
Bartlett's Talk
Had not war interviewed, the Phil
ippine Commonwealth would have
achieved independent status three
years from now. Under the terms
of the Tydings-M cDuffie Act, 1916
was to have been the year when the
United States was to have with
drawn completely from the islands.
Now if the fortunes of war permit
reoccupation Of the islands before
then it is possible independence will
come even sooner, since there is
legislation before Congress at this
time to advance the effective date
of the act.
Puppet Government
"Of course, the japanese con-
queror would reply that the Philip
pines are already free. On october
Ia, a puppet government was set up
in Manila which gave the form if
not the substance of freedom. On
paper, according to the meager ac-
counts available in this country, a
Filipino who was a Yale Law School
honor student became president Of
the new republic. No Filipino in
this country and few in the home
land will be deluded by this move
on Japan's part.
Aggrandizement
What Japan has acquired in the
past, she has never surrendered.
She certainly never would surrender
the Philippines to self-government.
Her covetous eyes have too long
been focused on that land of riches.
Japan has no interest in self-gov-
eminent for others. She is inter-
ested solely in ACKNOWLEDGMENT of
the Island Empire. In the Philip
pines and elsewhere she will always
be able to find some Quislings to do
her work. But the fact that it has
been found necessary to maintain
large military garrison in the islands
supplies convincing proof that the
common man of the Philippines has
not been sold at all on the theory
of the co-prosperity sphere, that
very flowery phrase which the Jap
anese use instead of the more blunt
words, We want to run the world"
Ladder to Philippines
Continuing, Mr. Bartlett stated:
I'VE have pulled ourselves up by
our own bootstraps in the South
Pacific until we are almost in posi-