For an intelligent minority part (combined).pdf

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Part of The Guard

extracted text: 8 GUARD October, 1937 FOR AN INTELLIGENT MINORITY PARTY By VICENTE A. PACIS As we continue to agitate the surface of our political life with a more or Hess in nocuous discussion of wheether or not our democracy is real or ritualistic, we have proba bly failed to notice a more profound and ominous stirring in its very deptly clarify and purify our politics; but, again, it may prelude the eruption of the volcano that will belch destruction and death. I refer to the slow but ap parently steady consolidation of the discontented and mis directed factions under the bold banner of the Popular Front. On the surface, the situation presents nothing uni* que or unusual. Indeed the ordinary process of building a political party is to weld together the various factions that are antagonistic to the party sought to be displaced from power. Where a com munity of grievances of the one hand and an affinity of political ideals on the other hand exist, the recruiting is fast and the resulting com bine substantial in strength and number. But even when only the ordinary resentment of being out against those who are in exists as the common bond it is still possible to get together enough men to keep up the good work of criticizing and denouncing. When a marked success at tends the work of consolida ting factions hostile to the ruling party, however, there is ever present the danger of excess momentum. The hor rible reign of terror when France was in the throes of being born a democracy was the result of men gettii g out of control and running amuck. Precisely, the popular movements in France and Spain which, however, are of a much later vintage, seem to be model of our minori ties are in the process of co loring together. And, at least in these two countries, the pendulum is ordinary swing ing too far: France is being theretened by persistent radi calism, and Spain is a flood of* blood largely as the re sult, qualified observers says, heretofore indifferent to po litics. The resulting aggregation will be fearful and unruly. Many in its camp will con sider no remedy short of vio lence for the conditions that they denounce. The sakdalists and the tangulans have a bloody record, and most of the followers of General Agui naldo once or twice resorted to revolutin to effect the re liefs that they comunists of the Moscow bra nd will take little persuation to take up bolos and bullets although the more thoughtful socialists will probably line up with the 8><ne and prudent. Overwhelming, therefore, the recruits of the Popular Front party will probably be ignorant, misinformed and misled citizens who approve of the primitive method of taking the law in one’s hands. But their greatest need, for tunately, is sane and thought ful leadership, and the leaders of the Popular Front party should, if they care, be to furnish it. SAKDALS PIAN DEMONSTRATION BEFORE Just a stupidity Front leaders must contend with if they are to win faith and confidence for and their group, current a report sakdalistas, urged fugitive leader, are to meet the joint committee of the lack of prudence on the pai t of newly-consolidated and recently-emancipated mi norities. MOST HOPEFUL ASPECT OF LOCAL PHENOMENON Those who hope that the local popular front movement will have a constructive in fluence on Philippine politics point to the presence of inteligent men at its vanguard. The horde that may be at tracted under the banner of the new party may be ex cellent fuel for uprisings and revolutions, but if the leaders who now so loudly sound the bugle of union will keep their heads and the mob that they may gather will not get out of control, the movement may prove to be the beginning of the first Philippine opposi tion party to gain control of the government. On the contrary, if the leaders lose their heads and become drunk with success, or if their mobs overwhelm them, they will have started something that they will regret and for which posterity will never forg:ve them. Let us enumerate the groups that are being attracted to the popular front camp. They are the sakdalists, the fol lowers of General Emilio Aguinaldo and Bishop Gre gorio Aglipay, perhaps the tangulans, and, of course, eve ry brand of men who h ve fancied or real grievances against the ruling party or the present administration. Let me hasten to add that of experts with a demonstrathere will also be, have already been, convictions and ideals will trek to the new conso lidated party, either from the Quezon fold or from ranks as there men of who sought. Our able EXPERTS sample of that the Popular the themselves There is that the by their planning t.ion, resorting to violence if thi* is necessary to carry out their plan. But the point is not the threat but the belief from which the derives its inspiration. false plan GIRLS, HAVE YOU SELECTED YOUR PROFESSION YOUR BUSINESS? Enroll at the "VISAYAN SCHOOL OF MODIFIED HAIR SCIENCE” ENTRANCE FEE: P10.00 ONLY. instructor? sms. r. de morante Experienced Aguinaldo Graduate Juan Luna Corner Manalili Sts. Cebu City i It is stated that Benigno Ramos was in Washington at the time that President Que zon was there; that he had overshadowed the Philippine President with his presence; that he had asked President Roosevelt to grant an earlier independence than the Tydings-McDuffie law provides; and that, in response to his plea, the American President is now sending the joint com mittee to see if the alleged Ramos plea can be granted. Because of this report, which the sakdalists are reported to believe implicity, in spite of the fact that Ramos has not and cannot leave Japan for being arrested, they are bent on meeting the MacMurray committee If President Roosevelt is sending i t in response to Ramos’ plea, the sakdalists must simply meet the group and show that they approve Ramos’ all their hearts. If Ramos had American soil he been immediately collared and deported to the Philippines for trial and conviction. This should be proof enough that he has never been in Ameri ca. As every intelligent per son knows, the committee is the tangible result of Presi dent Quezon’s work in Wash ington. It was formed fol lowing consultations with him. In fact, he appointed the coommittee’s Filipino members who constitute about half of the entire group. And the committee is not coming here to hear pleas for immediate or remote inde pendence, but to make some inquiries regarding the most practical and equitable liquid ation of Philippine-American economic relations, and in reference not only to the provisions of the Independ ence Act but also the Quezon Plan for independence in 1939. It will be a reflection on the understanding and judgement of those responsible if they were to publicly misunder stood or misconstrue the mis sion of the committee. FIRST JOB OF POPULAR FRONT (Continued on pa^c action with set foot on would have Cctober, 1937 GUARO 13 For An... {Continued from pageS) IS EDUCATIONAL Thus it ¡?, evident that the first tasks of the Popstar Front party, after it has cap italized the credulity ot po tential followers, will be to displace mythical and bank rupt direction with sane and resonsible leadership. The new party must recruit followers, it is true, by baiting them with a semblance of affinity in political beliefs and ideals. But once recruited, the re cruits must be educated and converted. The various fact ions, after they have con verged, must themselves be integrated or there will be war among themselves. This job will be difficult. But there are men in the Popular Front who should be able to do it. It will be in its accomplishment that the statesmanship of Sumulong, the judiciousness of Abeto, the foresight of Jaranilla, the generalship o f Alejandrino, the spirituality o f Bishop Aglipay, and the unifying genius of Aguinaldo will serve the party in good stead. “It is safer for the count ry,” a thoughtful public of ficial said just the other day, referring to the Popular Front party, “for intelligent men to take our radicals of all brands under their wings. 1 shall fell much safer with the sakdalists, the Commu nists, and the tangulans under the influence and leadership of Sumulong, Abeto, Alejan drino and Jaranilla than un der the spell of Kamos ” The sentiment he expressed, it is safe t<> assert, is repres entative of Chat of every thoughtful citizen. Self-seek ing, irresponsible leadership by agitators has been behind our radical movements. If the EUGENIANO 0. PEREZ ATTORNEY-AT LAW Tel. 787 Corner Mártires & Manalili Streets. CEBU, CEBU, PHILIPPINES Popular Front party succeeds in replacing it with some thing truly sane and respon sible, it will quickly win public gratitude. UNIFYING ISSUE INITIAL NEED OF NEW PARTY It has been stated that Uni ted States High Commissioner McNutt’s July 4 dissertation on democracy has given the Front its rallying cry. If this is true, the High Cmmissioner has contributed something of lasting value to Philippine politics. He has thus not only created an issue; he has shown that there are political issues lying around waiting to be picked up. The Popular Front party needs a platform that not only will attract followers but will also serve as a program of constructive accomplishments once given the reins of gov ernment by popular vote. And this is the time to select the timber for its planks. The co ming into fore of a National Contitution is the time to de fine a cleavage between poli tical thought and norms, It was during the first years cf the American Constitution that Jefferson and Hamilton evolved the respective philo sophies of the Democratic and Republican parties and their forerunners. So far, however, the new party’s acts have been charac terized by exaggerated criti cisms and pointless polemics. If it waste away its energies on nonsensicals and nonessentials, it will have no strenght for a worthy cause. It is time that it draft a program of con structive activity and the hus band its energies and resour ces for its accomplishment. Independer se as a political issue is passe. Our voters know by now that it is far more important that we pre pare ourselves properly for independence than cry for its grant at the earliest date A new party that can present no better issue than indepen dence at an early or late date has today no excuse for being. How shall we solve our eco nomic problems? How shall we allow our government to develop under the Constitu tion; shall it be centralized or decentralized? Sha’l we observe the coordination of departmenr and the system of check and balance, or shall we give supremacy to the Judiciary, Executive or Le gislature? How shall we best secure international security? How can we effectivly carry out the objective of free uni versal education required by the Constitution? These a- d other equally im portant matters could serve as the basis af a comprehen sive platform. The Popular Front party must explore them thoroughly for promi sing planks. AGITATION AND CONS TRUCTION GO TOGETH ER It is true that parties out of power must create discon tent against the party in po wer. But it is an opposition party’s responsibility and duty to satisfy, when given a chance, the very discontent that it may thus create. To fail to do this is to be short on the constructive side of politics. The Popular Front party has been most efficient in creating discontent again? t Quezon administration. It has, however, shown no evi dence that it will be able to satisfy the discontent that it is creating. And it needs net be said that it is such a dis crepancy as this that has been responsible for every po litical chaos resulting from a change party, regime or order. Let us take care that we do not lead the country into chaos—that the profound stir ring among our masses will not become a national com motion, a fatal convulsion. * * * IGYIIIO Till.illilV; AND Dry Cleaning 66-68 JUAN LUNA St. Cebu City, PHILIPPINES PROMPT, EFFICIENT AND COURTEOUS SERVICE ARE GUAR ANTEED BY THE MANAGEMENT. TRY AND YOU WILL BELIEVE IT. Antonio K. Ignacio Mgr. & Prop.
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