Evening Star Newspaper, September 7, 1925, Page 4

z THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. FREE PHILIPPINES WOULD BE SAFER AND PROSPEROUS Discounts Danger of ggression by Japanese Holds Statu More Propitious Present for Seizure. problem ¢ Philippines In articles Mr. Bell will present the views of Sergio Osmena, a leader ©f the movement for complete self= rule by the Filipinos, and of Gov. Gen, Leonard Wood F is the first discussing the future of the the succeeding of towing the BY FRANK PRICE BELL, Correspondence of T Daily MANILA.—“You want complete and immediate independence for the Philip- pines?” 1 remarked to President Manuel L. Quezon of the Philippine Senate, perhaps the most influential Filipino leader at the present time. “Yes,” was the reply. “You see no danger to the Philip- pines or the peace of the Pacific and the world in a withdrawal of the United States from the archipelago its waters?” one. On untrammeled sta pines would reinf in the Pacific and elsewhere.” “You should expect no aggression inst the islands from any source?” Not from any source. When peo- ple talk about warlike movements against a free Philippines, they have in mind just one nation. They do not_mean Russia or China or France or England iey mean Japan. Let us, therefore, consider ‘the question of what Japan might be expected to do if the Philippines were liberated and left to their own resources. I will say at once that Japan, in my opinion, would not dream of any hostile act and I will explain why I Star and the Chicago News. the contrary, I_think ehood for the Philip- ce peace influences Japan's Peaceful Purposes. “In the first place, T believe Japan to be non-ageressive. I believe both her heart and her mind urge her to international peace. I am convinced she sees no profit, only universal dis- aster, in war. Japan will fight, if I understand her, only to preserve her national securit rights and fnterests which seem to her indispensable to her liberty and life. Such rights and interests do mnot heckon her far afield; they lie within the circumference of her natural and legitimate position in the Far Bast. “But, for the sake of argument, let us suppose that Japan is not peaceful, but warlike. Even then the Philip- pines would be of very little use, if any, to her unless she contemplated hostile operations against the United States or Aust and every student of Japanese thought and policy knows contemplates no_ such thing. Were it otherwise, were her in- stincts and ambitions really running in the direction of expansion by con- quest—how could she embark upon such a course? Let us indulge in the fantastic conjecture that she desires to attack the peaceful country of the United States. Would Be Poor Base. “Let us forget the frightful devas- tation of the earthquake of 1923. Let us forget Japan's financial, industrial and social difficulties and the burdens that closely continguous foreign prob- lems place upon her statesmanship. Let us put all things out of mind and assume that the Asiatic island em- pire wants to go to war with the Americ: republic the richest and most powerful country in the world. Japan could not strike from the Phil- ippines; at the very least she would need Hawaii, and who does not realize that even so her enterprise would be desperate? The thought that Japan may some day want to attack the United St is to every sane mind t00 preposterous for even hypothetical discussion. “As Austral r Japan knows that any war or attack upon that country would raise against her—on, the in- stant and with all their wealth, arma- ment and fndomitable fighting pirit— the combiried nations of the Anglo- Saxon world “Very well, then. If Japan does not want the Philippines as a_step- ping-stone to conquest, would she want these islands as a defensive base? I can conceive of no principle of strategy that would cause her to covet them for such a purpose. It is obvious, indeed, that possession of the Philippines would be a source of weakness, not of strength, to the japanese, if they were attacked. They have Formosa and Formosa is in the right line for their defense and nearer home. If Japan were at- tacked, she would not scatter her forces; she would concentrate them. If she had naval craft in Philippine waters, she quickly would withdraw them to the support of her main feet, Sees British Assistance. “If the United States removed its authority and its fighting forces from the Philippin neither Japan nor any other power would molest us. If Japan moved against us, whether America did or did not call upon her to halt, Britain would call upon her to hait a compel her to halt. Aus- lia's c easily would reach to Downing street and it would be aug- mented by the cry of every British possession in Asia. Britain would hreaten ‘Japan, not. from British home waters, but from Singapore and mgkon; nd if Japan had naval or military contingents here or on their way hither she speedily would recall them to her v defensive lines. Surveying the wh horizon of pos- sibilities, I can discern no presage of an attempted seizure of this archi- pelago as a result of an American withdrawal ¥ “‘On the economic side also there is an utter absence of incentive to Japan to incur the reprobation of the world by interfering with the freedom of the Philippines. Japan does not want the Ph »pines for her people. The Japanese are not a tropical people ‘“They are a people of the temperate zones. Their whole organic and tem- peramental ada) tion is to a climate different from that of our Ilatitude. If they do not like weather too cold —as they do not—neither do they like the meteorology of the tropics. Japa- nese die here in great numbers. We once had some 15,000. They came to work in the hemp fields. Probably not more than 5,000 are left. In all the centuries of the past, before Spain came, during her 330 vears here and since she went away, no considerable hody of Japanese ever availed itself of its liberty to enter the Philippines at its own will Discounts Immigration. “Why, then, anticipate at this time an emigratory flood of Japanese in this direction? They will not come. Nor has Japan anything to gain by seeking a preferential industrial or commercial position in the Philip- pines. Efforts of that kind would run directly counter to her interests, and =he knows it, for Japan has an en- Jightened people and leadership in these days, “What she wants in this group of islands is what she wants on the and to defend those | MANUEL L. QUEZON. ses her more than anvthing else ‘Open door’ means equality of op portunity to all states, big and little and under the aegis of this principle | Japan not only keeps the good will of the world, but enjoys all the mat advantages appertain | sraphical position relative to the lippines and the entire Far I “What would be the repercussic Philippine emancipation in British French and Dutch possessions in Asia?” Mr. Quezon smiled a somewhat wry smile. Naturally,” said he cation of the rights of man stir all who are struggling for of man. People do not like ‘possessed’ They long to be Freedom in this archipelago, I no doubt, would be welcomed by would give encouragement to all, Asi atics and others under alien rule. I should mot be surprised if Britain, France and Holland would be pleased to see the American flag continue to fly over these islands in perpetuity But to those nations 1 will say a word in all friendship. It is this: What their subject peoples ultimately do will not be determined by anvthing which happens in the Philippines. Sees Orientals Strike. “What do T mean? I mean when the millions of the Indies Java and Sumatra and of China s ripe for freedom they will take 1k freedom regardless of what the mu of history shall have meted out to the Philippines. If America elects to h the Philippines she can hold them f all time, so far as we can we Filipinos are numerically But look at India! Four hun millions of people! Forty millions in Duteh islands—more than in uncon querable France! d__ China—her people are countless! When those peoples become mnationally self-con scious, when they are unified and or ganized, no power on earth will be able to dominate them or retain so much as a toehold on their territory against their will.” “How do you think Australasia would feel over the hauling down of the Stars and Stripes in the Philip- pines?” “Very likely she would be alarmed But I do not think her alarm would t justified in the smallest degree. Whit UJ S[SBQ OU SEY ‘SINS WL | LIua) 1AL men in the South Pacific fear Japan fact. It is purely fanciful. But, have “said, Japan would not dare whatever might be her desire, to start upon a career of militaristic im perialism. She would not dare to trou ble the Philippines and still less Aus- tralia or New Zealand. “If America is defensively of im portance to white civilization in the Southern Hemisphere—as she unques tionably is—it is not because she is in the Philippines. It is because of her tremendous, her almost measurel strength at home. with its unmistak- able implications. “What do you expect to see if and when the Asiatic peoples shall power commensurate with their num bers?” vindi Hates rights to be fr have and that of see, bex See World Harmony. “I expect to see the states of the world living together harmoniously on the basis of universal respect for rights.” “You do not expect that the colored races, by way of reciprocity, will tempt to dominate white people “I do nmot. International education is advancing. We are wise today in at least some things in which we were foolish vesterday. Our wisdom will increase with the vears. Both prac tical knowledge and the humanities in my judgment, are on the march against the ignorance and the inhu- manity of which we have seen so much in history. It will be a cen- tury, if not more, before Asia can stand erect in the full majesty of a strength now only potential. By that time, let us hope, the moralities of the world, not armies and navies, will be the sheet anchor of its national lib- erties.” “You think colonial possessions are mischievous?” Sees War Being Bred. “I think they tend to breed war. is a historical fact that they have bred war. They bred the World War. Germany came upon the international scene late. Earth’s treasure grounds had been parceled out to her rivals. She wanted colonies. She felt that her greatness, actual and latent, de- manded colonies. She was willing to fight for them. She fought and was crushed, but the world was terribly crippled in the process. Colonies are still with us and still a source of bit- terness, unrest and possible war. Na- tions must give up the idea of seizure, of domination, of obtaining raw ma- A nations must walk in the way manity and Jjustice—if they peace.” “What is your estimate of Ameri- ca’s contribution to Philippine devel- opment?” “It has been a great contribution. America has been remarkable not only for what she has done, but also | for what she has not done affecting Filipino development. She had it in her power to practice in these islands the creed of the military despot, and she did not do so. She co-operated with us in our efforts to make the want promoted education, iitical. She fostered applied science. Economic and financial aid accom- panied the Americans into the Phil ippines.” All America did and all we did, as we consistently have been led to suppose, were predicated upon the theory that one day the Philippines would be free. We believe the day when_ they ought to be free has ar- rived.” Disadvantages of Alien Control. “You think the Filipino: maintain order and administer justice in the islands?" “Decidedly so. What Filipino of any class or type could wish to see the American flag come down here, if he were able to believe that our civilization would come down with it —that we should have a welter of as If have | their several political and territorial | t- | It | terials and trade anyhow, of force— | of hu- | Philippines a prosperous country. She | liberal and po- | re able to | , QUEZON SAYS Asserts Natives Qualified to Rule Selves. WarnsThat Congress Can- not Kill Cry for Liberty. shelterle: country ? “You do not believe in alien con- trol, however benevolent?” “No. Alien control and native progress to the maximum of native capacity are incompatible. For mate- rial and for moral reasons 1 am plead- ing for the independence of my coun- try. It is arguable, and I consider it true, that mutual benefit may ac e for a time to a dominating country and the country dominafed. There | has been this time of mutual henefit as between America and the Philip- | pines. But, in such conjuncture, a | stage is certain to be reached at which |the dominating country begins to |stand in the way of the interests, { material and moral, of the country | dominated. and hungry, a stricken Humpering Progress. “Let erous, America the most gen the most powerful, nation ir world. She always, none the must remain America America must come first with Ameri ans. American sovereignty must be inviolate. There must be no fiscal ar- ments, no fixing of channels of commerce, not concordant with Amer interests, though such arrange- nts. or direction might promote Philippine interests. We claim the on behalf of the people of the nsider their interests America has the right to consider American interests first We want to make our own tariff laws and our own commercial treaties and do everything else belonging to na tional sovereignty exclusively with a | view to what is best for the Filipinos. ‘hat is the material side of the matter. Now the moral side, in my opinion, is still more vital from the standpoint of the welfare of the Fili pines. As it is deadly to an individual to lack liberty, reasonable liberty, the liberty stopping only et the boundary of the liberty of others, so it is deadly for a nation to lack that liberty which stops only at the bounda the liberty of other nations. us call as she the less, | Learning Democracy. “When we have our unfettered self rule, I dare say we shall make mis takes, but in that respect we shall not be original or monopolistic. It is by our mistakes that we shall learn America_has aided us to learn much of the art of government master that art only by In politics, as in law music or painting, concrete achieve ment is not in the scholastic sphere, but only in the sphere of scholasticism applied And, anyway, even the United States and in England, democ racy is still on its trial | “It is better for the Philippines to be ill.governed by the Filipi han well-governed by the Americans’ i “By the Americans any other | non-Fitipines. “Have the islands, with recognizable psychic national soul?” “Indisputably. This national soul {already has crystailized in striking na- { tional decisions—for independence, for | Joinin America in the World War, against huge landed e against applying United States coastwise ship- | ping laws to the Philippines. Our people are politically keen and pecul {iarly democratic Filipinos’ Aspirations. “There is not village or rural district) political vigi e, intere: and dis cussion Ten per cent, over 1,000,000, | of our people have the franchise and between 80 and 90 per cemt of the registered electors go to the polls on ection day. You speak of dialects We have many. But our major dia- lects are only three—Ta; Bisaya and Tlokano—and whoever commands these can himself understood in every part of the Philippines Al of our people speak one of these lan Buages, which have an extensive printed literature. To regard the ipino peoples as sentimentally and mentally diversified in proportion to their diversities of ethnography or religion or dialect is to misunderstand them completely. They all are Filipinos. They all have na-| tionalistic emotions an aspirations. They are intelligent and proud nd ambitious. Independence they know would mean equality of opportunity | for Fi Of a political or social | | caste depriving them of their liberties or otherwise wronging them have no fear, Such reports they miss as contrary self-practice. medicine or diverse their the people of varied dialects homogeneity a barrio (city, town, without its the dis to their experience | |and knowledge. Have they not seen | their humblest neighbors rise to posi tions of dignity and influence in the | country? Do they not know that nearly all their leaders have been and are of the people? Acceptance of Democracy. | ake myself, for example. Hold ing the premier elective position in the Philippines, T am a farmer’s son, born on the soil, born poor and without in fluential friends, reared in one of the remotest villages in these islands, com- pelled to climb over trackless moun tains to come to college in Manila.’ “So it will be mettle that will count in a free Philippines? “It will be mettle, just as it is met- tle in the United States and in eve: other country where men are free.’ “You say you are peculiarly demo- cratic.” “We are so because we are unin- cumbered by monarchic or oligarchic { traditions or institutional inheritances. | We have nothing of that sort to de stroy. © Our ground upen which to| erect a pure republic is clear.” “It is alleged that freedom of speech in the Philippines is suppressed—that | | the people fear their leaders. ‘That word ‘fear should be changed ! to ‘respect.’ If respect be fear, then | the Filipinos fear their leaders, as they have shown on many occasions. Political Alertness “My advice to any honest inquirer who wishes to know whether free | speech is-or is not suppressed in these |islands is to o out among the people and sound them on any of the burning questions of the hour. He will get their opinion without” any trouble, And, if he be a Filipino politician, and venture to speak or vote against inde pendence, he will distover on election lay that while the Filipino people have no reason to fear and do not fear their leaders, their leaders have some reason to fear them. Public opinion in the Philippines is not only unsuppressed, but vocal and militant. ‘We have two parties and they must be careful to learn what the people want. Our electors do not vote by ethno: graphic group nor by language or dia- lect nor according to their religion; they vote as their hearts and minds tell them is right and for the good of the country."” “One is told that an independent ilipino government wouid solve the Moro problem by stamping out the Moros.” “We practically governed the Mo- ros during the seven years of the last but we can | | bu | Mediterra {riadle is unde | for centuries | buriea | ruins, deca With them, whereas whenever they have been governed . by Americans gx.ere has been continual trouble with em. Christian Filipinos and Moros. ““We naturally understand every ele- ment of our population better than can foreigners. We never have been guilty of persecuting the non-Christian peoples of the Philippines. 'We have been fair and generous to them in re- spect of education, roads, sanitation and everything else. From this prac- tice there would be no departure under independence. We believe in educat- ing all our pople and promoting their prosperity and happiness, in order that we may have a great and contented nation. As for the Filipino leaders, it should be plain to all thinking per- sons, in my opinion, that they can hope for a future only if their coun try has a future. They cannot build up fame, joy or even enduring mate rial success upen the ruins of ‘their fatherland.” “What do you think of the Mayo book on the Philippines?” “Unilateral, extreme, grossly unfair, passionately dedicated to a particular obsession, destitute of validity as im partial criticism. ™ Material Side of the Tssue. “Certain advocates of A nexation of the Philippine the points they make, state need them in our business Ah," remarked Mr. Qu “that not an ethical That the rgument of the sugar. That the argument of the sisal the coprg, the ceconut oil, the to. bacco, the rattan, the lumber, the pulp, the dye, the rubber. It is not the argument we expect to prove con clusive with the American people. But even this argument b no because under an independent Philip- pines you may have our su bacco, ‘copra. hemp and the rest.” ‘Opponents of independence seribe your argument—the argu for independen: 15, ‘doctrinair “Our argument is Tio more an argu ment of a priority tha that against dependence. It is true we b our case, to some extent, upon principles, upon philosophy: but we base it to & rican an among that ‘we zon dryly, is argument JERBA LAND HELD RICH IN ROMANCE Isle Where Greek Treasure Galley Was Discovered Has Historic Background. Jerba where an anc ley was discovered listed as a stopping place ranean cr « background of ind ro. | mantic “interest adition places on | this little Tunisian island, almost mic | way between G and Suez. the |home of the ters, of whom Homer tells in on his sea t “The natives, erhers of Kharijite se obably they h card of the fabled sweet forgetful ness that was said to to the Lotophagi, as the eaters of the lotus plant were called bulletin from the Washington headquarters of he National Geographic Society. There is nothing today about their little palm-shaded towns, or har- bors full of fishing boats. that lends the atmosphere of ‘a land always after dinner.’ Secure in their insularity against, the attacks of nomadic Ara |the Jerba islanders tend thelr fruit groves and vegetuble gardens, vving also in industry with their kinsmen the Mozabites traders to all the seaports of the Orient the island ure is not Mediter possesses North Afr t Greek u tly on hough it h histor les present-day the mostly t, would ve never ¥ he Sponge agd Polypus Fisheries. P L “The sponge, polypus and other fish evies, and the oyster beds in the Canal @’Adjim, the hip channel throtigh the narrow sweep of w At separates Jerba from the m tive. Every mor ing craft of the , on put out fre p with flags flvi stretches of sk tend in all dir er niand the que 1ook fisher tong for the gre: water that ex ptions from the island Large steamers must be met by native E ng craft and rowboats, as it is im- possible for most of them to approach within 2 or:3 miles of the shore “Jerba has been made, through the efforts of its inhabitants, one of the most fertile and prosperous spots along @ great stretch of sun-baked .an coastline. More than a million datepalms wave their fringes over the whiteroofed towns and villages of this island oasis, which is approximately twice lurge as Malta, its Bi sh neighbor 250 miles to the northe: In addition there are extensive groves of olive, orange, lemon and peach trees. “To the stranger coming from the bleak and parched Tunisian mainland s fertility seems a miracle are no rivers on Jerba, no worthy of the name even, and rain fall is as scant and infrequent as on the mainland. The answer to the ground water, obtained through artesian wells in the same manner that the natives of the Yuca- tan peninsula in Mexico secure a constant supply of fresh, cool water. Roofs Like Inverted Saucers. “Humt-Suk, the capital and princi- pal city, lies on the sandy north coast about half a mile from the and 5 miles from the anchorage of steam ers. Its countless little buildings of one or two stories all have domes and from the roof tops the city looks like an array of inverted samicers, with the graceful minarets of the mosques breaking the skyline like slender lighthouses. Public gardens and a number of wide curving streets show the beneficent influence of the French. Down by the sea is the spot where a great mound .of Christian bones, called ‘The Skull Fort,’ stood t of several thousand Spaniards who were massacred by the pirate Dragut, in 1560. They were collected and in the Christian cemetery nearby, in 1848, “All over the d causewa island are Roman ve, baths, tem- ples—the subsoil of all the Mediter- ranean world. But aside from the mausoleum of Borgho nothing re- mains_intact of this one-time impor- tant Roman colony, the birthplace of two Roman emperors, Vibius Gallus and Volusenus. Resort of Jewish Pilgrims. “Hara-Serira, a village of 1,500 in- habitants ‘5 miles south of the cap- jtal, is a resort of Jewish pilgrims from southern Tunisia and Tripoli- tania. The Gheriba, or synagogue, is built-on the spot where, according to tradition, one of the tables of the law of Moses was found. It is much revered aiso by Catholics and Mos- lems. Not far away, at ‘Gallala, is an unexploited Eden for photogra- phers. This is the center of pottery manufacturing, where all day long the statuesque native worien, twen- tieth century Rebeccas, cirry grace- ful white water jugs to the stone- rimmed wells. “Of the lotus, or jujubier, as the French call it, there are few rem- nants. There has been much disa- &reement as to the identification of the Homeric lotus. Lotus is a pop- ular name applied to several plants, and whether the one that the Greek poet had in mind was a tree, a bush, a flower, or the seed of any of them, wainland of Asia—the-open dooxy J§ slaughter, villages—on fire, people’administration and had no trouble { L. ] nas pot been determined.” Chum Salmon are produc- | wharves, | The bones were those | larger extent upon the general history of humanity and upon our own par- ticular experience and knowledge. Our argument is a posteriori.” It is argued that America’s title to the Philippines is of triple validity, resting upon cenquest, purchase and formal cessfon.” ‘Our reply is, first, that conquest is no moral justification for the seiz ure of a country and the deprivation of its inhabitants of liberty; and, sec- ondly, that purchase is not valid when | the seller has no right to sell, and | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1925.' cession not valld when the power en- acting it is ceding what belongs to others.” “It 1s declared that no Mala ple, of all the millions of Malay; created a nation.” “That is not true. Ahout the thir- teenth century there existed a Malay empire. But, not troubling to ques-| tion the sweeping dictum concerning | the political ineptitude of the Malay |1 race, 1 should not regard this point as,| worthy of serious not If no Ma-| lay people in all the centuries yet hason as an embarrassment to Americans | LOW PRICE - LEADERS i 1 | { | . | ! Our first carload of order in another | Once seen, vou'll buy Educator Cakes, per pkg Special This Week | | | | Biiid built up a free civilization of its own, I think it high time one were given a | ised us freedom. Our people are be- chance to try.” Ing educated for freedom. We Fili ““What would happen in the islands | pino leaders have assured the Filipino if the Congress of the United States|people that, if they bore . themselves declared the Phillppines permanent | patfently and with dignity, if they American territory?"” strove to lift themselves up the United “Our people would be profoundly States undoubtdely would set them disappointed and depressed. They | free. They believed us. Their faith also would be unutterably surprise is unshaken today. To destroy their do not think there would be an up-| hopes would be immoral, Jilogical, in- rising, but the Philippine question | human and a blunder that history one would not be settled It would live | day inevitabi would put right. 4Copyright, 1925, by Chicago Dally News.) and Filipinos alike. 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