Veto

"I therefore return the bill without my approval."--Calvin Coolidge. The bill had been passed by the Philippine legislature and repassed by a two-thirds majority over Governor General Leonard Wood's veto. It proposed to hold a plebiscite among the islanders on the question: "Do you desire the immediate, absolute and complete independence of the Philippine Islands?" Under the organic law of the territory, the President of the U. S. has final authority on all bills passed by the native legislature. Hence, there will be no plebiscite and independence in the Philippines is still a remote subject.

It was significant as the first time a President had vetoed an act of the Philippine legislature.

President Coolidge's veto message, some 3,000 words in length, frowned on the plebiscite on the grounds that its yes-or-no method would be unconvincing and unfair; that native discussion of independence is untimely; that the little brown men still need the economic and military protection of Big Brother U. S.

Important words from President Coolidge's document:

"Independence is a very appealing word. Few people will vote against independence for themselves or against independence for anybody else. To submit to a man the question whether he desired to be independent, or not, is really trifling with the sacred feelings innate in humankind.

"American defense is a corollate of American sovereignty, not of foreign sovereignty. Where there is no sovereignty there is no obligation of protection. The best security to the Philippine Islands is the protection of and by the United States. . . . "The people should realize that political activity is not the end of life, but rather a means to obtain those economic, industrial and social conditions essential to a stable existence." Next Step. President Coolidge having, as everyone expected, upheld Governor General Wood in vetoing the plebiscite, the next step is for the U. S. Congress to grant certain governmental and economic reforms which will soothe the independence agitation. These reforms were suggested in Col. Carmi A. Thompson's report (TIME, Jan. 3)--which, among other things, hinted that Governor General Wood's "cavalry cabinet" is the storm centre of Filipino dissatisfaction. (The "cavalry cabinet" is a group of Army officers who act as advisors and administrators for the Governor General.)