Ambassador Myron M. Cowen

Title

Language

English

Year

1949

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Editorials “ .. . to promote the general welfare” Ambassador Myron M. Cowen The American Chamber of Commerce sent the following radiogram to the Hon. Myron M. Cowen after his recent appointment as American Ambassador to the Phil ippines and received a letter from him in reply, which follow in order: “Permit us on behalf of the American business community to congratulate you on your appointment as American Ambas-' sador to the Philippines. We hope you will shortly permit us to hold a dinner-reception in your honor at whatever time may be convenient to you after your arrival in the Philippines.’’ The letter: “American Embassy Canberra, Australia “Dear Mr. Stevens: “I deeply appreciate your gracious cable welcoming me to the Philippines. It will probably be a matter of some days before we can make definite plans for our departure from here, and it is not yet entirely certain whether we shall go directly to Manila from here or first go to Washington for a hurried visit. “Just as soon as our plans are definite, however, I shall let you know, and I shall look forward to meeting you and your members with much anticipation. “Cordially, (Sgd.) Myron* M. Cowen American Ambassador" Readers will be interested in an article by Mr. Cowen in this issue of the Journal on the pro blems of the economic development of the Far East, sent us by the United States Information Service, Manila, some time before his appointment as Ambas sador to the Philippines. It is the text of an address which he made last December as head of the Ameri can delegation to the fourth conference of the ECAFE and is indicative of the new Ambassador’s thinking on the subject. The Tokyo press reports, following the depar ture from Japan of Secretary of the Army Kenneth Royall, which stated that the United Eyes States would abandon Japan in case of on the war and which suggested that it would Target soon withdraw its occupation forces there, have been officially denied. It is well that this denial has been elicited, for any policy framed so baldly, would find little sup port anywhere. The denial has not, however, served to dispel the implication that there has been a revi sion of American global strategy toward still greater concentration on Europe. Although this has resulted in general concern, not to say alarm, in this part of the world, has led to bit ter reflections and even recriminations in the press, and has, to an extent, been damaging to American prestige, second thought may tend to modify the first reaction. For if what has been implied is a fact, what could it mean other than that the United States, to use an expression taken from the field of sport, is determined to keep its eyes on the ball? America’s present self-elected antagonist is Sta lin’s Russia, and we must not blind ourselves, what ever our local interest, to both America’s and Russia’s respective advantages and disadvantages, strategically and tactically, in the Pacific and Far Eastern areas. The Russian subversionists have undoubtedly hoped that the unrest being created in various parts of Asia and the recent advance of the Chinese “Reds” would greatly disturb America and serve to distract American attention from Europe, where, then, they would be less deterred in their spreading of havoc. But it now appears that America will not allow itself to be distracted and is keeping its eyes on the target, — the Russian power-house in Europe. Russia may be allowed some evil success in its villainies in Asia without a resulting destruction of the whole of civilization, but if the Stalinite despotism were to engulf all of Europe, still, outside of the 95

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