Evening star., 1950-06-04

EARNED peasantsl has been given
only recently, The very real
danger that the islands can. and
possibly will fall to communism
unless the Philippines halt their
downward Slide-is scarcely ap-
preciated by the Americans and
their political representatives.
Philippine political leadership
is so shot through with corruption
and ineptitude, its economy is sc
near collapse and the danger OF
the Communicated Huks over
throwing the government is sc
real that we are confronted with
the necessity of recognizing the
situation and doing something
about it-if we can.
Recognition of the situation
depends on where the observer
sits. One not connected with the
Philippine government is likely
to take a much graver view OF
matters than those who represent
that government. both in Manila
and in the United States.
There are points of agreement
however. which. taken by them
selves. present a pretty dark pic
ture.
Ouirino Inder Attack
First of all is the position of
President Elpidio Quirino. who
came to the presidency as the re-
suit of the death of Manuel A.
Roxas, Mr.. Roxas' able leader
ship is almost universally con-
ceded.
Mr.. Quirino, coming to his
country's top Office from the vice
presidency, ran for election a year
ago and won. The character of
the voting has been widely
challenged. even In quarters nor
mally neutral in internal affairs.
The focal point of attack by
those-both Filipino and nom
Filipino-who see the necessity
of righting the country's condition
Immediately is President Quirino
himself. An extremely sensitive
man who reacts to criticism with
fury. Mr.. Quirino has been ac-
cused of just about everything In
the book. The Manila press hal
recognized no bounds in the
savagery of its attack on his
character and personality. So
The charge most generally made
and by some close to the Philip
pine government itself-is that
the President has failed to dis
play any leadership in correcting
those evils generally known to be
eating at the vitals of the re-
public. He has failed, his critics
charge, to take the initiative in
purging the administration of
brazenly corrupt political elements,
in reviving the Philippine economy
through foreign trade, in check
ing the outflow of dollars which
have gone to the islands since the
end Of the war and in balancing
the budget.
Little effort is made to deny
the charge of corruption. Vice
President Fernando Lopez himself
has charged that he could name
cabinet members who are involved
in graft and corruption. Mr..
Quirino was forced by the pres
sure of the known facts to ap-
point an integrity board to in
vestigate the extent of corruption.
He appointed Mr.. Lopez as chair
man.
Complete Corruption Charged
Only the extent of corruption is
in question. Observers outside
the Philippine government insist
that it goes from top to bottom in
both the political branches of the
regime and the non-political civil
service. Miserable wages are
blamed for the readiness of many
civil servants to take graft.
Whatever its true extent, known
evidence of corruption has de-
stroyed popular confidence in the
Quirino administration and
stirred discomfort to the point
where the Philippine public is
psychologically unprepared for its
one big menace-the Communist
led Huks.
No responsible American or Fill
ipino official speaks lightly of the
Hulk guerrillas or the threat that
they present. Some speak most
gravely of the rebels as a real
imminent menace to the govern
ment. Some go so far as to say
that unless conditions are cor
rected, the Communists can take
over the islands in one year-or
in two.
The Hukbalahaps-the name
means Peoples army against
Japan'-were born of the war.
It's members rendered invaluable
services to the Allied cause as
guerrillas. After the war the
Huks did not Immediately dis
solve-although they we're later
outlawed - but their mission
changed. With no Japanese to
fight they turned to a struggle
for the thing which Communists
have used as a cloak the world
over-agrarian reform.
Agrarian Grievance
At what point the Communists
entered the Hulk movement is not
clear. There was a real agrarian
grievance in the Philippines,
where the land tenant got 80 per
cent of the produce and the pro-
prietor 10 per cent.
This particular grievance has
been corrected in law. II not in
practice. But before it was cor
rected. the Huks had succeeded in
establishing themselves in Luzon.
Today they control the great