Evening star., 1947-08-12
McNutt Reports U.S.. HosFoi|ed
In Obligations to Philippines :
War Damage Commitments Not Yet Met,
Truman Told; Roxus Given Clean Bill of Health
specific sum Is mentioned, but it is
authoritatively understood Mr.. Nc
Mutt is urging $3.50, ,O00, 900 loan.

opCCulC quill Is IIlCQClOIl6Q, OuG IL is
authoritatively understood Mr.. Nc
Mutt is urging a $3.50, ,000, 900 loan.
Roxas Given Clean Bill.
Mr.. McNutt's report is based on 18
months service in the Philippines
as United States High Commissioner
and first American Ambassador fol-
lowing the granting of Philippine
independence. Mr.. McNutt resigned
several months ago to enter private
law practice. However, he has con-
tinued to act as State Department
consultant on Philippine affairs.
Mr.. McNutt's voluminous report
covers practically every aspect OF
the Philippine scene, including the
widely debated issue of President
Manuel Roxas' relations with the
Japs during the war. Mr.. McNutt
gives Mr.. Roxas a clean bill OF
health.
He states that Mr.. Roxas did par
ticipate in the drafting of the con-
stitution of the puppet government
set up by the Japs. Also, that Mr.
Roxas accepted a job in the last
months of the war in the puppet
governments rice administration.
Famine Was Threat.
Mr.. McNutt vigorously defends
Mr.. Roxas'. conduct on the ground
that he acted to save Filipinos from
starvation.
''Roxas was one of the few out
standing figures in Philippine pub
lie life," Mr.. McNutt declares, who
was able to prevent the Japanese
from exploiting him for their own
purposes. AS a result he became
somewhat of a hero to the people,
a heroism only slightly dimmed by
his final acceptance of a puppet
government position. That govern
ment post was in connection with
civilian rice distribution at a time
when the Filipino people were
desperately faced with famine and
starvation"
Mr.. McNutt severely condemns the
pillaging and black marketing of
large quantities of surplus goods the
United States gave the Philippines
following the war.
Whether through the fault of the
Philippine government or American
officials" Mr.. McNutt says, surplus
property was not used as intensively
as it might have been In the early
stages Of the rehabilitation program
Vast amounts of it were sold to pri-
vate dealers in block quantities and
by the shipload. The essential items
in these sales were later resold at
huge profit.
Much Surplus Pilfered.
Large amounts of surplus prop
erty also were looted and pilfered
and found their way into the black
market. In general, this was one OF
the most vexing problems in the
Philippine American arrangement
1t continued to be source of diff
Guilty for many months"
Mr.. McNutt's report reveals that
before the granting of Philippine in
dependence last year, President Tru-
man at one point considered employ
ing American troops to disarm dis
sident" elements.
He says 100000 arms and weapons
of all types were estimated then to
be held illegally in the islands. He
declares that while the threat to
law and order was serious, "it was
less of a threat than was supposed
in the United States"
Mr.. McNutt deals extensively in
his report with "agrarian unrest" a
widespread and complex problem in
(See McNUTT. Page A-6.l