Chrijtian Scienoe Monitor, April 5, 1
Revulsion to Cutting U. S. Ties
Seems Growing in Philippines
The approach of Philippine
Independence from (he United
States combined with Japan's
attempt to establish a new order
in the Far East directly concerns
United States Far Eastern for-
eign policy. To make a study of
the economic, political, and social
issues in the Philippine 'Islands,
The Christian Science Monitor
has sent its chief Far Eastern
correspondent to Manila. Here is
another of a group of stories
based on his study.
By Randall Gould
¦ Staff Correspondent 0/
The Chriilian Science Monitor
MANILA—"It o-cx ami nation" is
the name of the Philippines move-
ment which is designed to stave
off the arrival of independence
from the United States cn July 4,
1946. Under the circumstances now
prevailing internationally, "re-
examination" is certainly worth
examination, so to speak. But to
estimate its weight is still difficult
and it must be said at the outset
that skepticism as to its utility ap-
pears justified in spite of the fact
that it is a movement by the Fili-
pinos themselves and accorded
support in high quarters.
Assemblyman Jose Romero,
former floor leader in the National
Assembly for the party in power,
is head of this movement. One of
its most vocal and enthusiastic
proponents is Salvador Araneta,
Manila lawyer. A number of Gov-
ernment officials are listed as in
support of it and the movement
claims the indorsement of 15 out of
90 Assemblymen, as well as a good
deal of quiet support from among
the general public. Nevertheless it
is the fact in the Philippines that
even a respectable minority is not
much, use unless it can somehow
be made into a trumping, durable
majority—and thus lar there seems
small prospect of anything of the
sort.
"Realistic re-examination" was
first advocated by former United
States High Commissioner Paul V.
McNutt, the first high official to
propose a revision of the grant of.
independence in 1946.
This was followed up by none
other than President Quezon, who
said he would have no objection
to an indefinite postponement of
the independence of the Philip-
pines if some sort of dominion
status^ more or less similar to that
of Canada, could be worked out
whereby the Philippines would be
subject to control by the United
States only with reference to for-
eign relations. He differed with
Mr. McNutt, who wanted to con-
tinue things virtually as they are
now, with the United States con-
trolling trade, currency and vari-
ous other matters.
Assemblyman Romero took his
lead from President Quezon and
advocated a dominion status, with-
out autonomy in foreign affairs, as
a basis for deliberation and dis-
cussion. To back the movement an
organization called the Philippine
Civic League was started with a
good many "big names" attached.
"We fully agree with the pre-
vailing American view," says Mr.
Araneta, "that a revision of the
present program of independence
in 1946 must be initiated by the
Filipinos themselves. But our lead-
ers cannot initiate the movement
without first knowing the real
sentiment of the people, as well as
that the movement would be ac-
cepted in Washington. The only
solution is for the Filipino people
to speak through a national plebi-
scite. The question of complete in-
dependence has never been placed
before the people although in 1935
three different issues were put be- .
fore them to be settled by a single
vote.
¦ "Our organization intends to
carry on an educational campaign
among the masses to apprise them
that it would be mutually advan-
tageous both for the Philippines
and for the United States to pro-
long our association. The people
are increasingly realizing that the
less dependent we are on the
United States, the- more we shall
have to be on some powerful
Asiatic nation—and as between the
United States and any other coun-
try, 99 per cent of the people pre-
fer the United States."
I sonablo to hope that the pendulum