Tribute to President Quezon

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Language

English

Year

1943

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In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

{Continued ^rom page 2) stabilization. These bilateral and group discussions are designed to prepare the ground for a more formal United Nations conference on the subject. No definite date has been set for this, but it is understood the conference will be called in a few months. Colonel Andres Soriano, as Secretary of Finance, represented the Philippines in these talks; his advisers are Jaime Hernandez, Auditor General; Mr. Joseph H. Foley, manager of the New York Agency of the Philippine National Bank; and Mr. George F. Luthringer. Quite different was the Conference on Food and Agri culture, which was held at Hot Springs, Virginia, from May 18 to June 5, 1945- This, the first formal meeting of (he United Nations, opened amidst pessimistic prophecies. For a long time the need was felt to implement the ideas expressed in the zVtlantic Charter and the Four Freedoms with concrete action. The concept of the United Nations was still on paper; there was no secretariat, no post office address, no telephone number, for the United Nations. Suddenly, one day, it was announced that the United States had invited the United Nations and their friends to attend a conference on food and agriculture. Why food and agriculture? For many reasons. Food was essential in winning the war; food was one of the primary needs of man; and food as a subject for discussion seemed free enough of those controversial implications that might wreck the United Nations even before they had a chance to organize. To Hot Springs, Virginia, went the delegations of fortylive nations which differed in size from that of Greece and Iraq, which had one member each, to that of Brazil and China, which had ten. The composition of each delega tion varied, but there was a preponderance of economists, public health experts and commercial and financial officials. Tribute to President Quezon JuSTICE Frank Murphy of the Supreme Court of the United States, who from 1933 to 1935 was the last Gover nor-General of the Philippines and from November, 1935 to December, 1936 was its first High Commissioner, paid the following tribute to President Manuel L. Quezon on the anniversary of his arrival in the United States: "Just one year ago, President Quezon, you arrived in the United States to help direct from this free soil the destinies of your people in the Philippines. The physical dangers of the trip had been many and great, but they were as nothing to the spiritual travails you had undergone in leav ing your people. "Three choices were before you after the fall of Pearl Harbor. One was to become a Quisling. The lavishments of Japan for years had been futile in the face of your loy alty, for you are first a patriot. Even at Corregidor Japan made advances to you, thinking naively that you could be tempted from your unswerving honor. That choice was, of course, unthinkable for you. "The second was to remain close to your people, defend ing and protecting them with your last breath. This was An indication of how important the different countries considered the meeting was the fact that each delegation was often headed by an ambassador or minister. There were eight ministers and six ambassadors present; many others had cabinet rank. It was an open secret that many considered the conference a dress rehearsal for the peace conference. From opening to closing session, the delegates worked hard far into the night. In the first plenary session, the various delegations were introduced. From the applause that followed each introduction one gathered that the sympathies and good wishes of the whole world went first to those nations which had fought best and made the most sacrifices. Thus, burst after burst of handclapping followed introduction of the delegations from China, Ethiopia, France, Russia and the Philippines. The Philippine delegation presented the following pa pers: "A summary of the problem of nutrition in the Philippines” (Section I, Committee 1)—by Dr. Rotor "Exports of specified products in pre-war years” (Section I, Committee 3)— by Dr. Zafra "Agriculture and food situation in the Philip pines”—by Mr. Dalisay "The problem of developing new lands and of conserving cultivated lands in the Philippines” (Section II, Committee 3)—by Mr. Dalisay "Experience of the Philippines”—International Commodity Problems (Section III, Committee 4) —by Dr. Zafra When the final act was approved, embodying the find ings and recommendations of the conference, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The unanimous opinion was {Continued on page 8) what you really wanted to do, for your heart and soul were and are today in the Philippines. The third choice was to follow the path desired by President Roosevelt, to join him in Washington and to serve actively in the program to oust the Japanese from your country and to bring free dom to your people. "No man’s duty was ever harder than yours. Your heart was heavy, but your faith was high, and so you followed the course of duty to Washington where your energies could best serve your country and your people. "Between them and us exists nothing but good will and harmony. I recall the day in 1935, when you took the oath of office, after your people, exercising their free sufferage, had elected you as the first President of their Common wealth. I listened, in front of the Legislative Building there in Manila to your inspiring inaugural address. You spoke kindly words about the United States, Mr. President. You said the crowd gathered there were witnessing the final stage in the fulfillment of the noblest undertaking ever attempted by any nation in dealing with another people. You said: ‘And how well this task has been performed is attested to by the blessings which from fourteen million people go to America in this solemn hour’.” July 20, 1943 5

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