Aguinaldo Goes Over

Until General Frederick Funston captured the insurrectionary chief 30 years ago in the steamy jungles of the Philippines, Emilio Aguinaldo was a bloody name with which to frighten U. S. children after dark. Ever since his parole, Aguinaldo has been one of the sturdiest native supporters of U. S. rule. His son and General Funston's were friendly classmates at West Point four years ago. Aguinaldo would have nothing to do with the local movement for immediate Philippine independence.

But last week the chief, now old and brown, reversed his 3O-year position, went over to the Independistas. From a Manila hospital bed where he lay with a broken leg, Aguinaldo revealed to spry young Senator Arthur Robinson Robinson of Indiana his change of heart. The Aguinaldo plan: 1) immediate freedom for the islands; 2) five years for the U. S. to withdraw all its trappings of sovereignty; 3) ten years more of free trade between the U. S. and the Philippines. The ex-insurrecto predicted that independence would not sink the islands economically, that sheer native gratitude for freedom would win U. S. capital better than it now gets. Aguinaldo wants to come to the U. S. to help fight for independence before Congress but Congress sits only in winter and the Filipino cannot stand cold weather.

This summer Manila has become a mecca for junketing Senators and Repre- sentatives. When Missouri's Senator Hawes, author of the pending independence bill, landed, he was almost overwhelmed with native demonstration of affection and delight. Other Philippine visitors included Senators Oddie and Pittman of Nevada, Patterson of Missouri and Vandenberg of Michigan; Representatives Gibson of Vermont and Dowell of Iowa. Most of them went to the islands with their minds made up for independence. After their visits all except Representative Dowell began to think that freedom might be an economic catastrophe.

Last week in Washington Connecticut's Senator Hiram Bingham, chairman of the Committee on Territories and Insular Affairs and bitter opponent of Philippine independence, admitted that he was defeated and that the next Congress would legislate to free the islands. His only hope, he said, was that President Hoover would veto such a bill. Philippine independence, according to the Senator, now commands a Congressional majority because members from farm districts want to put the islands outside the U. S. tariff and thus eliminate their competition with domestic vegetable oils and sugar. Declared Senator Bingham: "The Filipinos' chief grievance against American occupaton is that some American officials do not practice the Golden Rule with regard to social equality."

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