Independence Of

Philippines

Planned for 1946, Despite Japanese Interest

From Qur Own Correspondent.

Honolulu, Sept. 25.

U.S. troops occupied Manila, and be came possessed of the Philippine Is lands on August 13, 1898. Thirty nine anniversaries were allowed to slide by uncelebrated, but this year, with whatever implications you choose to imagine, Presi dent Manuel Quezon of the Philippines, who recently visited Japan and hobnobbed with the inner officials, ordered all Fili pinos to celebrate the 40th anniversary of American rule.

In a speech radio-networked through out the islands and to the United States, President Quezon paid picturesque res pect to the Stars and Stripes, but he ended his talk on a note which proved that his political following still is for complete in dependence of the islands. He said: “ . . .

When it (the U.S. flag) finally comes down in 1946 it will find somewhere in its folds the grateful hearts of our people.”

Latest step towards being prepared for the new era that 1946 will usher in, the Quezon government is pushing plans for a strong trans-oceanic and inter-island merchant marine under the Filipino flag.

The American Dollar Line’s inter-island steamer “Mayon” has been bought. This announcement followed the arrival in San Francisco of the Madrigal freighter “Don Jose”, first Filipino merchantman to enter an overseas port.

But it was an unhappy maiden voyage.

U.S. customs agents discovered 1,485 cans of narcotics, valued at 67.000 dollars hidden in coal bunkers!

The Government-owned Philippine Nat ional Bank has loaned the Madrigal Com pany funds with which four ships are be ing built—one passenger ship, in Germany, and three freighters, for the Pacific ser vice. in Italv.

Another Filipino company, the Trans oceanic Steamship Corporation, is pre paring to enter trans-Pacific lanes with a fleet of merchantmen.