Detroit evening times., 1945-11-24
The w ORLD
N REVIEW
BY Gen.
Barrows

y
man 10 be high commissioner
of the Philippines, left this
week by army air-transpOrt
plane for Manila.
He was accompanied by
small party two of them Off
GERS i'm our armed forces and
aS financial adviser, Mr.. Frank
BClCrano president of the Cen
tTal Bank of Oakland, Cal.
Mr. McNutt'S mission may he
productive of much service TO
both F'ilipinoS and Americans,
hut II should be understood that
the office has no general or
plenary powers.
The position was provided for
by the Philippine independence
Act of 1884.
The high commissioner has as
his specific duty TO safeguard
the public debt of the Philip
pines and its service.
In the event of failure OF the
Philippine commonwealth gov
ernment 10 meet the obligations
of its bonded public debt, the
President OF the United States
can take over the admlnlStra-
ton of the customs service. and
satisfy these obligations out of
this source Of revenue. This
power has never been used.
The high commissioner / S
the Presidents representative
in tn Q islands, exercises the
power of audit. also vested by
law in the President
Mr.. McNutt has the ad-
vantage Of experience, having
previously served as high COM
missioner under President
Roosevelt.
THERE is another provision Of
Il the independence law which
is operative by proclamation of
the President of the United
States. II is the right TO in
tervene' for I h e preservation
and maintenance of the gov
ernment of the commonwealth
or for the protection of life,
property. individual liberty, and
government obligations.
II appears that President
Roosevelt, on the return of the
American army TO the Philip
pines, decided not to proclaim
an intervention.
His policy, which was fol-
lowed strictly by Gen. MacAr-
thur. was to return the admin
istration TO Filipino hands as
rapidly as island territory was
freed Of the invader.
Mr. Sergio OSmena, who by
reason Of the death of Mr.. Que
zon. had succeeded 10 the Of
flee of president, and d on
Leyte as soon as our troops had
gained a foothold there. n d
followed the army 10 Manila,
where the insular administra-
tion has been restored in the
well-known Malacanan palace.
THE policy OF our government
l. very definitely seems to he
10 avoid any intervention in the
Philippines. but 10 cooperate
with President OSmena, so far
as he desires our cooperation,
in the reconstruction Of the
public service and in general
rehabilitation during the short
remaining period when this
country retains sovereignty IN
the Philippines
Unless Congress changes the
law, or deferS the date Of its
realization. independence Of the
Philippines Will come on July 4,
1916 Thus. there is a period Of
only a little more than seven
months for this country 10 COM
plete its service in the Philip
pines and definitely retire there
from.
Press dispatches from Manila
speak rather omInouSly of cur
rent conditions in the islands,
and Mr. McNutt, at the moment
Of leaving, referred TO the situ-
alton as present chaos
The high commissioner made
a brief visit TO the Philippines
last July and undoubtedly has
the advantage of late army and
other official reports upon how
matters are there. but "Chaos" "
would seem 10 me 10 be too
emphatic word for the Situ-
ton.
MY OWN stay in the Philip
4'A pines last su m me was
short only about SIX weeks
] only had opportunity 10
travel about Leyte, Mindanao
and half dozen provinces of
The central Philippines.
But, limited though my oh
Servatlon was, | felt that former
conditions were recoverable
The people were not suffering
from lack Of food
There was a great deal of
spontaneous effort 10 restore
their municipal or local govern
mCntS.
They were reopening their
schools There was a good prom
ISc of revival If government
could he peacefully restored.
Tn be sure e--thELnl1nd- States