The Daily Worker Newspaper, February 13, 1926, Page 13

5 ‘ ; Eins i we NE BeOS AES IT we nesrenetelt Mae: Sane MPS NR Fred Ellis, the cartoonist, says the capitalist newspapers are filled with a new flood of horror stories about the Soviet Union in order to keep the workers from seeing the bright sun that is rising there for the workers of all the world. The kept press and the whisky bottle in his overalls pocket keep this worker occupied and keep him from participating in the struggle for the liberation of his class. _ Mr. Gibbons And The Filipinos By Harry Gannes. ITH the sixth commission for in- dependence in the United States, waiting at the doors of congress for a hearing; with the long line of prom- ises, intrigues and treacheries, the question of Philippine independence is beginning to weigh like an Alp on the alleged brain of American capitalism. The Filipinos want independence. The people seriously, earnestly want freedom from the United States im- perialist yoke that each year grows heavier and cuts deeper into the neck of the Philippine peasants and work- ers, The cry for independence on the part of the Filipinos is meeting with delays, rebuffs, and insults. The Chicago Tribune is the latest imperial- ist spokesman against Philippine in- dependence thru an article by its one- eyed Argus, Floyd Gibbons. “War will break out in the Pacific six months if the Philippines E Who the informant is that supplied ‘the Tribune with nearly two columns ‘of “news” on Philippine independence left the dark, All Gib- say about him is that “were identified as the author of it, his penalty.” There- BFE Eee E Filipinos are not ready nor capable of independence, The Jones Law, pass- ed in 1916 promised independence and claimed “that it has always been the purpose of the people of the U. S. to withdraw their sovereignty over the Philippine Islands and to recog- nize their independence as soon as a stable government can be establish- ed therein.” The Filipinos have established a legislature working on a bourgeois basis. They have demonstrated that they are as “capable of self-govern- ment” as were the Americans when they broke away from the Domination of Great Britain. Are the Filipinos prepared for self- government from a bourgeois point of view? President Wilson in his message of December 7, 1920, said: “The people of the Philippine Islands have succeeded in maintaining a stable government since the last ac- tion of the congress in their behalf, and have thus fulfilled the condition set by the congress as precedent to a consideration of granting independ- ence to the Islands.” - From Wilson to Coolidge is long jumps, however. Since Wilson’s time American interests in the Philippines have grown tremendously. By 1920 there were 135 United States corpor- ations in the islands with a total capi- tal stock of $443,000,000. The sum is several per cent greater today. Know- ing that nearly 15,000,000 acres of public land are available for home seekers and 65,000 square miles of timber land ready to be exploited, plus the fact that the islands are “at the cross-roads to the greatest trade routes of the future,” American capi- talism cannot look smilingly at any demands for independence. Since 1921 when Major-General Leo- nard Wood was made governor- gener- al of the islands the policy of the United States has become more and more brutally imperialist. Wood start- ed out by paving the way for easier infiltration of capital. He brot press- ure to bear on the Filipino govern- ment to turn over into the hands of private control such enterprises as the government had established to prevent them from falling into the hands of foreign capitalists. Recent- ly Antonio D’Pagina, a councilman of the city of Manila, was arrested and sentenced to serve two months in jail for critcising General Wood, General Wood is ardently upheld by President Coolidge. In a letter on the Philippines written in 1924, Coolidge completely white washes his ap pointee. He says: “it has been charged that the present governor general has in some matters exceeded his proper authorities, but an examination of the facts seems rather to support the charge that the legislative branch of the Insular government has been the real offender thru seek- ing to extend its own authority into some areas of what should properly be the executive realm.” In every respect Coolidge whole- heartedly supports the imperialist de- signs of American capitalists in the Philippine Islands and has not the slightest intention to aid any move for independence. The American capitalists look upon the Philippines as one of their best means of future development. There is no real revolutionary movement in the islands that the American govern- {dependence from their ment fears. Tho the desire for in- dependence is deeply rooted in the hearts of the masses, it is asserted that the machinery of the movement is to some extent in the hands of poli- ticians, a great number of whom are undoubtedly maneuvering in their own interests. Many of the leaders have not thrown down the gauntlet to the imperialist, power, | The Filipino people have. shown themselves willing to back up their atm with true revolutionary. action. | The only way for them to attain in- - imperialist boss is to shake off their back to those politicians who always can be bouhgt off by American capitalism and to develop a revolutionary move- ment that will demand independence and not ask for it as a favor. Lenin—T orchbearer IMIR ILLYITCH—You lie so seren in that Glass covered coffin. They say you are dead. Viadimir Hiyitch—You are stirring ' men as never before, To throw off the chains that bind them. Can you be dead? No—You are alive as never before In the hearts of the wretched; You are the very life force Speeding the lowly to victory, —Worker Correspondent, co