Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-02-27
Macarthur Restores
Manila as Capital;
Sea Route Secured
BY the Associsted Press.


Philippines even as rifle fire
against the last Japanese die
hards echoed over the city.
While he spoke In a moving cere-
mony at shell-scarred Malacanan
Palace his soldiers in a new island
invasion 10 miles south of Manila
pried open the shortest sea route
through which to rush supplies to
Manila from the United States.
Gen. Macarthur, surrounded by
men who fought with him at
Bataan and Corregidor, told wildly
cheering Filipinos he was lifting
military rule from liberated areas
of their commonwealth in favor OF
the constituted government of Pres
ident Sergio Osmena.
New Landing on Verde Island.
"Your country once again is a,
liberty to pursue its destiny to ar
honored position in the family Of
free nations" he said.
Your capital city, severely pun.
ished though it be, has regained its
rightful place as a symbol of democ-
racy"
Manila was occupied unopposed by
the japanese January 2, 1912.
Earlier today, Gen. Macarthur
had disclosed in communique thai
soldiers of Maj. Gen. Frederick A
Irvings Oath Division landed Sum-
day on tiny Verde Island, midway
in the 10-mile channel between Lu-
zon and Mindoro Islands, to secure
the west end of a direct route
through the heart of the archipel-
ago. Less than week ago the east
end was secured by invasions OF
Capul and Biri Islands in San Ber-
nardino Strait between Luzon and
Samar.
Gen. Macarthur, acting ION be-
half of my government" restored
civil rule and acclaimed Manila
again the capital three days after
his soldiers successfully concluded
a three-week battle in the city's
streets during which the japanese
laid waste the business district and
the south side so well known to
tourists.
Drive Called Crusade"
President Osmena, accepting the
responsibilities, Immediately ex-
pressed the hope it might be pos
sible for the Philippines to have
complete independence by next
August Is, the 47th anniversary of
the landing of American forces in
Manila. Thus occupation day would
become Philippine independence
day. He bitterly denounced the
Japanese bandits" and called Gen
MacArthur's drive crusade"
Gen. Macarthur, who declared
Manila an open city near the outset
of the war to spare it from damage,
said much that I sought to preserve
has been unnecessarily destroyed
by the enemy recently.
"By these actions, he has wantonly
fixed the future pattern of his own
DOOM" he warned grimly.
More than $4,000 of the enemy
have been killed within Manila and
today Gen. Macarthur reported an
incompleted count of 1886 dead on
Corregidor at the entrance to the
bay
Small Loss in Invasion.
The Verde Island invasion effected
such surprise, headquarters reported,
that troops went ashore with prac-
tically no loss" The small japanese
garrison already is cornered on the
east coast at San Agapito. 1t was
the 18th island invasion of the
Philippines campaign.
This island is the key to the
control of the main navigational
route through the Central Philip
pines between Mindoro and Luzon
which forms an integral part of the
main shipping lane from the United
States to Manila" the communique
emphasized.
The route which supply ships
have been following was not stated
but when the 800-ship invasion con-
voy went from Leyte to Luzon in
January it took the longer cir
cuitous route through Surigao Strait
south of Leyte, thence below Bohol,
Negroes and Cebu. 1t is nearly
600 miles to Manila that way from
the east entrance of Surigao
Strait. 1t is nearly half again as
close from the entrance of San
Bernardino Strait.
The Verde operation was assigned
to elements of a battle-seasoned
division which carried the heavy
burden in 80 days of fighting on
Leyte and whose 34th Regiment re-
Gently landed on Corregidor.
Corregidor Almost Cleared.
Near the tip of Corregidor, 503d
Regiment paratroopers have reached
a small prewar airstrip, leaving
little over a mile of the islands A.
mile length to be reconquered. Ex-
plosions continued to rock the is
lands interior as japanese died by
their own hands in its tunnels
rather than surrender.
More than 10 miles southeast of
Manila, the 9Th and 1st Cavalry
Divisions met stiffening enemy re-
sistance but easily threw back three
counterattacks.
Other Yank divisions forged deep
er into the Cagayan Valley across
the Central Luzon Plain far to the
north of Manila.
Ministers of the Philippine cabi-
net and other high officers, who have
used Tacloban on Leyte as the pro-
visional capital, attended the Mala-
canaan ceremony returning consti-
tuted government to Manila.
President Osmena, in accepting
the responsibilities, recalled Presi-
dent Roosevelt's pledge of ultimate
liberation by American forces dur
ing "our grim days in Corregidor and
Bataan."
I'VE shall be thoroughly grateful
to him and to these great American
people," President Osmena said.
He asserted this crusade is finish
ing another war" begun by Gen.
MacArthurs ''illustrious father, Gen.
Arthur Macarthur, who in 1898 sue
cessfully led another American Army
to free Manila from a European
power (Spain)."