WINDOWS OF THE WORLD

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 17

WINDOWS OF THE WORLD

International Scenes and Affairs.

THE NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS. Copyright—"Chicago Tribune" and "New York News" Services.

FILIPINO IDEALS.

THE PRESIDENT'S PLAN. INDEPENDENCE PREPARATIONS. MANILA. By visiting all. the provinces of tlie archipelago and having licart-to-heart talks with the people, President Manuel Quezon is developing what might be called the psychological preparation 01 the Filipinos for independence. The extent of his success is looked for in increased tax returns, support of his national defence plan, and the backing given his national policies. Appearing before eager people in the important towns, Quezon advocates and declares: — 1. Abolition of sectionalism. 2. Elimination as much as possible of politics in Government administration. 3. People must pay their taxes. 4. The Commonwealth is a new Government of, by and for Filipinos. 5. Filipinos must set up tho best Government in the world. Attacking popular beliefs and prejudices that hinder the establishment of a nation, Quezon points out that people are not of this or that province but of the "Philippine Commonwealth. "More than ever, the Filipino should be first, second and all the time nothing but a Filipino. We arc not tribes—we are a single people," he repeats. A Minimum of Politics. Though Quezon calls for tho abolition of provincial political partisanship, legislative leaders close to the Administration recently advanced a plan to make provincial governors and municipal presidents appointive by tho Commonwealth President. As all these officials are now elected by the people, the projected change would give Quezon direct control of the local governments. There will be less politics, perhaps, but I there will be less local autonomy and more Government centralisation. Quezon, of course, can campaign for abolishing politics, since ho was elected under a coalition of the major political parties; therefore, he is a non-partisan President. Furthermore, the constitution of the.Philippines provides that the President shall remain in office six years, but will not bo eligible as a candidate in the election following his term. Not having to prepare for re-election,' and having to take care of all the parties that elected him, he is really setting up a Government with a minimum of politics. The stress on payment of taxes is designed, it seems, not only to provide the Government with adequate current expenses, but also to prepare tlie Filipino mind for possible new taxes should the various Quezon projects need greater financing. His military and economic programmes show indications of such an eventuality. Creation of Filipino People. Quezon never tires of declaring the new Government should be supported by the Filipinos bccause it is truly their own Government. Heretofore, he tells them, "we have been governed by the Spanish Cortes or by the American Congress; everything we have been allowed to do politically has been possible under specific authorisation from one or the other foreign body. To-day, however, the Philippine Government is based on the Philippine constitution, which is truly a creation of the Filipino people. "This being our very own Government," he tells his • listeners, "let us make it the best we know how —let us make it the best in the world." Quezon is more and more clearly centralising the Government to render it easier to direct. Recently he proclaimed himself rice dictator, and, as such, will regulate the importation and exportation of this cereal, which constitutes the basic food of the people, and its wholesale and retail prices on the local market. Quezon has also .shown a flair for commissions and boards. Ho lias, to date, created tho 'following advisory bodies: —The Government Survey Board, in charge of reorganising the Government; the National Economic Council, to advise on planned economy; the Rice Commission; the National Education Council; and the National Defence Council.