PHILIPPINE STATUS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 191, 6 April 1932, Page 5

PHILIPPINE STATUS

(Press Assn.-

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— By Telegraph — Copyulght)

Rec. April 1-5 A " NEW YQRIC, |Ionday. o| Representatiyps to#ay p^sse^ a pill 'ip' gr^nj; m^ependencl oi 'eight'years. 1 Uil " r The Ne"3y Eprk; ' Times Washington correspondent states'tnat the passing of thp P,hilippines Jndependence Bill by an oyeryyhelming majority, clgarly indicates the prepohdbrahce 'df American public opinion favouring withdrawal from the Far East. ' The passage of the Bill has caused considerable alarm in Administration circles, where* it "is considered that the action is liRely to result in serious repercussions in world affairs, even if the Senate extends fhe fime limit wliich "is consiSered lik'ely, 'or if the President, Mr. Eerb'ert Hoover, vetoes it.

Coincident with to-day's vote, a letter to Mr. Bingham, from the Secretary of State, Mr. H. L. Sfinjson, dated February 12, which is pubfis|ied, vigorously opposes independence fof th'e present. An agitation for the change in status of the Philippines at present, hd ?aid, "vgould raisp tngst dangerous possibilities, when conditions in the Faf East are chaotic, and when out of the maelstr om may cohie one of those historic mpvements wbjch will disturB the whole world. Phili'ppine independence would he an irreparabl'e ' blow ' to Americah influence in' the East. The passing of the Bill he regafded as a 'paftich]ar blow tp Hollan'd and Englaud in yiew of their respective trou'file in ilfe East Indies and India, and he believed further that it would' upset the whole far Pacific halance. One official commented that no grayer news has come tp Great Britain and Hollan^' sihce fhe days of the world war,' apparentiy meaning that "an inprease in colonial military requiremeiits ryould l|pset" Geneva's calcuYaEons. " The agitation - for the Bill presented an unusual alliance between the Wall Street and agricultural lohbies, the former wishing protection for their sugar interests in Cuha, and the latter desirous of exeluding Rhilippine sugar competition with the* domestic producers.