WHITE MAN’S BURDEN.

Evening Star, Issue 18531, 14 January 1924, Page 6

WHITE MAN’S BURDEN.

Some years ago a section of the American Press was accustomed to criticise pungently the manner in which Britain administered her colonies. To-day a changed attitude is to bo noted. America has accepted responsibilities herself in regard to certain backward peoples, and she is find ing that the burden which she has voluntarily accepted is not by any means negligible. Mr Wilson, during his academical disquisitions in Paris at the time he was attending the Peace Conference, did not help matters much by his repeated declarations in regard to self-determina-tion. He made excursions into the realms of the ideal. His remarks were impressive, but wo live in a practical world, and since they were uttered proof has beer given, if proof were needed; that there art peoples who are not capable of managing without help their own affairs. Unfortunately, his statements were in some instances taken literally, and they have caused much trouble. America’s control of the Philippine Islands is resented by a considerable section of the people, and there is a persistent agitation in Manila and other towns for complete independence. There appears to be a sincere desire among responsible statesmen in the United States to grant the Filipinos their requests, but it is felt that the time has not arrived when tho change can be made with any degree of safety to the people themselves. President Coolidge recently stated that the Filipinos were making encouraging progress towards eventual independence, which the United States would grant when it deemed tho natives were capable of self-government. The late President Harding and tho present Secretary of Slate (Mr C. E. Hughes), in different words, have expressed the same view. An influential deputation of Filipinos about two years ago went to the United States to advance their claims. As a result a Commission was appointed to thoroughly investigate tho position. The report was that the time had not arrived for complete self-government. General Leonard Wood, the present GovernorGeneral of the islands, was chairman of the Commission, a fact which probably accounts for the hostility exhibited to him just now. Tho Governor-General is the chief executive of the islands, and he represents the sovereign power of the United States. There is, however, a large measure of self-government in tho Philippines. There arc two Houses, tho Senate and the House of Representatives, comprising a total of 141 members, of whom only eleven are appointed by the Governor-General, tho rest being elected by popular vote. Tho Governor-General, however, has the power of veto, which is a fruitful cause of friction. His acts are harshly criticised by the Filipinos, and we are informed that another mission has just presented Congress with formal charges alleging maladministration by General Wood, tho overstepping by him of his authority, and urging immediate reconsideration of the question of independence. It is significant, however, that in Congress there has been little criticism of his administration, where it might have been expected, for the Democrats have a strong bias towards tho granting of independence to tho Filipinos, and the present position gives them opportunities of making political capital out of recent developments. General Wood has had a remarkable record since he came into prominence by

leading Mr Roosevelt's sough Riders in Cuba during' the Spanish-American War, and it is probable that the persistent agitation by the Filipinos.to manage their own house is at the root of tho troifble, and not any deficiency on his part. It is not only in the Philippines that the United States is having trouble. Cuba is said to be in a state of turmoil as a result of corruption in Government and official circles, and a revolt is among the possibilities. Porto Rico, San Domingo, and Haiti are all clamoring for self-govern-ment, and in no case, it is safe to say, have tho natives given evidence of their capacity to successfully cany out without advice and supervision tho functions of government. Mexico is causing uneasiness, and ultimately intervention may be necessary there. America’s negro problem also remains to be solved, so that it will be seen that tho United States is faced with domestic worries that will keep its Administration busy in the immediate future.