Detroit evening times., 1946-01-13
BY MERRILL c. MEIGs
Special 20 The Detroit Times


of what Gen. Marshall was talking about
when he told Congress:
You won't have rehabilitation; you will
have decentralization"
We have good men left in the Philippines,
but there aren't enough of them The de-
struction of Manila equals that of Tokyo and
Berlin. The beautiful homes, estates, apart
ment buildings, hotels and clubs fronting on
Dewey Blvd, which skirts Mania Bay are
almost completely destroyed by artillery The
adjacent business section, its office and gov
ernment buildings, banks, shops and stores,
the old sixteenth century walled city with its
Spanish churches and other priceless archi-
tectural gems are leveled 20 the ground. No
wonder the Filipinos are discouraged
The long-promised independence of the
islands will be trying time rot only for
Filipinos, but their American friends Former
experienced Philippines government officials
have been liquidated by the Japs. Tax and
other public records were destroyed in the
battle of Manila. Twenty million dollars
seems to be the top figure collectible in the
first year of independence Such sum would
pay for only a third of the expenses of the
most economical government.
OFFICIALS in High Commissioner Paul
" McNutt's office told me that if Filpinos
were permitted to vote today on independence
they would vote to l in favor of staying
under the political and economical wing of the
United States. McNutt, governor general of
the Philippines from 1887 to 1889, had just
arrived here. He is an authority on Philip
pines affairs which, coupled with his years Of
service as staff executive and federal ad-
ministrator, amply qualify him fer this most
difficult assignment.
With Gen. McMullen we visited Corregidor
and were stunned by the archaic arms of the
island, where Gen. Wainwright and handful
of men and nurses so gallantly held off the
overwhelming attacks of the Japs in the early
days Of the war.
The old guns Wainwright had noticed
1903 date on one-were pointed out 10 sea.
They could not be turned to shell the Japs
few miles away on Bataan. What tragedy
that was.
Today, work crew Of 200 Jap prisoners
stoldy clean up The Rock"--diggng the
bodies of brave Americans and Filipino patri-
OTIS out of the caves in which they died.
ON TO Guam, where 100000 army and
" navy servicemen under the able direction
of Gen. Parker and Adm. Murray prove again
that land and sea forces can work we'll to-
gether. Guam today is monument 10 their
joint efforts. Little more than tuelng sta
ton before the war, it now is another power
full link in our chain of island strongholds.
Construction here is 80 per cent complete
Here again hundreds of planes, mountains
of supplies. Problems of storage and disposal
duplicate those of other stations which
have described in these articles Several hun
dred cargo ships ride at anchor at Guam and
nearby Tinian and Saipan. None of these
may be sold as surplus until Congress changes
clause in the maritime law.
Looking at Guam today, with its gigantic
airfelds, its miles of guns and like equipment,
it seems impossible to believe that once upon
time the United States actually apologized
10 Japan for building a concrete tennis court
there.
Work on the court was ordered stopped
because Japan protested that it could be
turned into base for heavy gun.
~ heroes, have changed the very face of
Guam, built harbors. roads leveed noun
tains. l gained new respect for the homely
buldozer after seeing Guam. 1t typifes the
fact that no one service no one arm won the
war The bulldozer was as important as the
B-29 in the great surge toward victory, for
without the bulldozer there could have been
no roosts for the B-29.
TOMORROW-The long voyage home,
and final reflections.