AUTONOMY ',,nDTU'
1940.
Philippine   President Tells
Islands' Assembly Lasting
Retention Is Alternative
AGAINST 'RE-EXAMINATION'
Mood of U. S. Bars Protection
After Independence in '46,
Opening Session Hears
WImIm* to Thjc New yohx Tiuci.
MANILA, P. I., Jan. 22-Presi-
dent Manuel L. Quezon broke the
Ice In the national assembly today
on "re-exam in at Ion" of the Philip-
pine independence problem by mak-
ing a surprise pronouncement that
"I am unalterably oppoiied to pro-
longation of the present political
set-up beyond 1946 became I be-
lieve it is not conducive to our best
interests."
"The re-examination" advocates,
who Include a small nucleus in the
legislature, privately confessed be-
wilderment, and tried to explain
the reason for President Quezon's
definite commitment at this time.
Some of them had pUblKly ex-
pressed a belief that SU. Quezon
favored re-examining the independ-
ence project.
President Quezon made his state-
ment in a message opening the sec-
ond regular session of the Second
National Assembly.
Prefacing his remarks with com-
ment on the uncertain fate of small
nations under the troubled Interna-
tional conditions of today, he said:
"I tried to discover by every
means at my disposal if there were
any compelling reason why the plan
decreed by Congress and accepted
by us should not be put through. I
am of the opinion that the inter-
national situation has not developed
to the point where any one can pre-
dict what the fate of small nations
will be in the years to come."
Independence Now or Never
After reviewing the steps that led
him to his conclusion against "re-
examination." Mr. Quezon stated:
"If the Filipino people are unwill-
ing or afraid to assume tho respon-
sibilities of independent nationhood
by 1946 their only alternative is to
petition Congress to declare the
Philippines permanently an Ameri-
can territory."
Discussing what he regarded to
be the temper of the American peo-
ple and Congress, he said the
United States would not undertake
to protect the independence of the
Philippines, once granted, against
any foreign aggression and would
not consider favorably any proposal
merely to postpone the granting of
independence beyond 1946, mean-
while continuing the present po-
litical and economic relationship.
Suggesting possibly that some of
the provisions contained in the orig-
inal reexamination proposal by
Paul V. McNutt. former High Com-
missioner to the Philippines, still
rankle, President Quezon asserted:
"Wo cannot consider a perma-
nent political relationship with
America except on the basis, at
least, of full and complete power
over immigration, imports, exports,
currency and related financial sub-
jects, and the right to conclude
commercial treaties without being
subjected to the supervision or con-
trol of the United States. This. I
am quite certain, is not feasible,
considering the present state of
public opinion In America."
Mr. McNutt, who is now Federal
Security Administrator in Washing-
ton, had laid down stipulations al-
most opposite to these.
Quezon for "Taking a Chance"^**-
Mr. Quezon said It would be
| "utoplan" to believe that tho
Phlllippincs would not be exposed
to foreign aggression, lacking the
protection of the American flag
and m moment later declared:
"If we want the untrammeled
right to govern ourselves as we
think best for our own welfare, we
must assume the responsibilities
that go hand in hand with that
right. That means that we shall
. have to depend upon ourselves and
take our chance exactly as every
independent nation has had to."
President Quozon finished his
message with this statement:
'•We have faith in a just God who
| presides over the destinies of na-
tions. We must secure a place,
however modest, in the concert of
free nations,"
Island's Finances Called Good
By Th« UnlUd Prtu.
MANILA, P. I., Jan. 22-Francis
B. Sayre. the United States High
Commissioner, and Admiral Thomas
C. Hart, Commander-in-Chief; of
the United States Asiatic Fleet, at-
tended the National Assembly's
opening session today and heard
President Quezon praise the Amer-
ican policy of keeping out of war.
In reporting on the Philippine
Government's .financial condition,
Mr. Quezon said that revenues last!
year exceeded budgetary estimates
by $3,447,776 and that the nation??
debt, now fully serviced, amounted
to J39.576.100.
He urged establishment of pro-
ducers' and consumers' coopera-
tives and creation of government
tobacco and coconut corporations
to develop both industries.
The tobacco Industry, now trying
to compete in the United States
under quota restrictions, was facing
difficult conditions, Mr. Quozon
staled, andh e urged development
of tobacco for cigarettes, saying
that the Philippines now constituted
the largest cigarette market, out-
side the United States, for Amer-
ican manufacturers.
Most of the Philippines* tobacco
Is of the leaf variety for use In the
manufacture of cigars.
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