Philippines

War Preparations in Philippines No More Talk Now of "Independence"

By Marc. T. Greene

r_ MANILA, July 11.

E Philippines are arming to the teeth, like the rest of the East.

America has sent more than 10,000 new draft recruits out here, during the past three months—the idea being that train ing here will be preferable to training in America, especially for tropical service.

Presently, the US regular army in the islands will be increased to 50,000 or more, while the native force in its vari ous ranches stated to comprise 100,000, as soon as they can be inducted into service. In addition to that, more than 450,000 Filipinos are being enlisted for home-guard duty, along the English lines.

American naval forces here at present include 24 modern submarines, supply ships, light cruisers and several destroy ers, but no capital units. The air-force is strong, and is being strengthened almost daily.

Also, plans for the evacuation of all coast and lowland towns are fully in hand. The interior of the islands, very mountainous and well intersected by modern highways—thanks to American enterprise through these years—lends itself admirably both to refuge and defence.

Talk of independence for the Philip pines (due nominally in 1946) is no more Ninety-nine out of every hundred Ameri cans here, and at least three-fourths of the Filipinos themselves, genuinely hope it will never be any more.

As a matter of fact, it never has been other than a political issue—in America, a Democratic weapon with which to flail the other party, in the islands them selves the objective of self-seeking poli tical demagogues. One result of it would be the immediate subtracting from the Philippines of national revenue of some $35,000,000 annually, which comes from America—nearly half the total islands revenue—and so the probable destruction of the whole internal economy of the group.

Editorial Note

Mr. Greene is a little astray in sug gesting that the movement towards Philippines independence is dead. It can not die, without a new Act by United States Congress. Under the Tydings- McDufiie Act of 1934, the Philippines became practically an independent Com monwealth on November 15, 1935, but subject to an Ordinance governing American-Philippines relations, which provides for foreign affairs and for defence. That Ordinance is to remain for 10 years, and will lapse on November 15, 1945, when the completely independ ent Philippines Republic will come auto matically into existence. Perhaps the present status of the Philippines could be continued by extending the Ordin ance beyond 10 years. The Common wealth now is governed by an elected President and National Assembly, and the United States Government is repre sented by a High Commissioner, resident in Manila.

Mr. J. Irwin Cromie, solicitor of Wau, has been appointed a Non-official Mem ber of the New Guinea Legislative Council, replacing Hon. R. C. A. Olleren shaw, who is absent from the Territory.