Vice-President Osmena stresses cooperation, defines criteria for lasting peace

Media

Part of Philippines

Title: Vice-President Osmena stresses cooperation, defines criteria for lasting peace
Language: English
Source: Philippines 3 (3) May 6, 1943
Year: 1943
Subject: Osmeña, Sergio, 1878-1961; Speeches, addresses, etc.
Rights
Fulltext: ours-battling side by side until the bitter end. Their weapons were practically those of a bygone military age. They fought against an enemy superior to them in numbers, an enemy armed with all the modern cools of \nr. And yet. they held him at bay for a time. Bur, in the end, they were defeated by the cruel combination of bullets :md bombs. hunger and disease. and sheer fatigue. "I am proud of chat memory-as you all must be, coo. For, in the bnguage of Gener.ii l\facArthur. no army has done so much with so little. '"From the first day of the war, Jonathan \\7ainwright was in the from lines. facing the enemy and brilliantly executing the plan of defense bid out by General Headquarters. "MacArthur and ·wainwright-they made a superb team. And they commanded a superb body of men. Only such a combination of military leadership and fighting forces could have climbed co the heights of human glory where rests the n::une of the men of Bataan and Corregidor. "General \\7ainwrighr was given supreme command of the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor after General MacArthur was ordered co proceed co Australia. No soldier ever faced inexorable destiny with more bravery than did General Wainwright, nor e"l'er led his troops toward certain doom with grearer glorr. He lose the battle. Bur he won the :idmirarion of the world for his army of Filipinos and Americans-he won the respect of mankind for his country and the Philippines-he won a furure freedom and security for the Filipino people who had fought by his side. ""Now General \':?ainwright is a prisoner in the hands of ;t ruthless enemy. The flag for which he risked his life has been hauled down. His men lie in bloodstained graves under the skies of Bataan, or they languish, with him, in the enemy's prison camps. And the seventeen million people of the Philippines are enslaved. 'You people of Connecricur arc rendering due honor co a great General who is rhe son of a proud Stare. Bue you owe Jonathan Wainwright more than chis. ""You owe him the pledge that he will soon be freed from the prison camp: that the flag of freedom will again fly over Corregidor, and that the Filipino people- will be liberated from the invader, governing themselves under the independent Republic they will establish after the enemy is driven out. "Then, and only then, will it be sai,! that those who suf· fered and died in the Battle of the Philippines have not died in vain." Vice-President Osmena Stresses Cooperation, Defines Criteria for Lasting Peace A SIGNIFICANT basic refrain runs through VicePresidenr Sergio Osmeiia's speeches, delivered before American and Filipino audiences in various sections of the United Scates-that of Filipino-American cooperation, which found cryscallizarion in the Battle of the Philippines, and which should continue to endure in the hard years ahead. Never is this more clearly presented than in a speech the Vice-President delivered before the Philippine Society of Southern California, on December 5, 1942. "The exemplary cooperation between the United Stares and the Philippines is not new," he said. "It is the logical conrinuation of a cordial relationship thac rook ~oot many years ago and grew warmer as the years ripened. Suspicious and even hosrile at first, the Filipino people learned to trust America because of her sincerity. In 1901, even before the end of the Filipino-American war, the Filipino people first showed their conciliatory attitude by participating in the first municipal elections held under American sovereignty. Then, in 1907, the first Philippine Assembly was established. The Filipino people, through their chosen representatives, decided upon a policy of complete cooperation. From that rime on, a real partnership between the United Stares and the Philippines began." This important theme is also emphasized in other addresses the Vice-President has delivered-in his first speech at the United Nations Rally at Boston, on June 14, 1942; at the Institute of Pacific Relations in New York, on July 13, 1942; in Cincinnati, Ohio, before the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United Stares, on August 31, 1942; before MAY 6, 1943 chc American Women's Voluntary Services of New York City, on October 9, 1942; and more recently, before the Bendix Aviation Plant Employees of New York. In one of his most solid and constructive addresses, delivered at the 47th annual meeting of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, at Philadcl phi a. Pennsylvania, on April 10, 1943, he said: "Peace, if it is co be lasting, can only be a people's peace, and force is not enough to achieve it. Within the domains of a people's peace force must be supplemented by the maintenance of justice, and the cultivation of understanding, goodwill, and cooperation among peoples. Bue, before we can ever hope co achieve harmony and cooperation, we muse first dissipate che distrust of subject peoples, for it is principally to them chat the United Nations address the democratic principles of the Atlantic Charter. This war, in the military sense, may or may noc be won without cheir active collaboration, but an enduring peace can not be established without their whole-hearted support." The full text of the Vice-President's speech follows: THE United Nations are engaged in a war for survival. They are fighting the diabolical attempts of the exponents of force to subject che whole world co perpetual slavery by depriving mankind of all rights and liberties within the four walls of the so-called "new order". A common danger has brought them together, but more lofty aims have also impelled them in their struggle. The United Nations are fighting co establish a new world of freedom ancl justice, of equality and progress, not for a 3 pri\'ileged n3tion or group of n,1dons. but for all peoples. They are fighting. in the 'l'.·ords of President Roosevelt. "with the objective of sm3shing the milit,1rism imposed by warlords upon their cnsb\'ed peoples-the objccti\'e of liber.ning the subjug.ued n,uions-the objective of est3blishing 3nd securing freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want. ,md freedom from fe.u everywhere in the world." This is a people's 'l'.'ar. The Atlantic Chlrter was fumed on the stormy seas of the Atbmic, but ir is ,1 'l'.'<)rld ch.mer. It c;rnnot be anything less. TI1irry-one nations haYe already subscribed to its declaration of principles. and on this dech1ration are pinned mankind's hopes for a better world. !\'I Y COL'NTRY. the Philippines, is one of the United Nations. Long before the outbreak of rhis w;u. long before the promulgation of the . .\tbntic Charter, the Philippines had already pledged herself ro follow the cause of democ. racy and peace. Our formal adherence ro the Declaration of the United Narions rook place on July 14, 1942, when President l\fanuel L. Quezon, in the name of the Philippines. affixed his signature to that document. The signing of the Declaration by the Philippine Common'l>ealth Go,·ernment has Pacific Our prolonged rcsisc.rnce for(ed J;1p;1n to divert brge rnntinocnts frorn Other w;u-fronts. helped to delay the foll of the £.lSt Indies. l\l.il.1y.1, Sing:tpnrc and Burma, and thwarted the J.1p.rnesc program for an t·arly invasion of Australi3 and Nt·w Zc.1bnd. We- afforded the United States ,·du,1ble time to repair the dcscruction wrought by Japan\ insidious .m.1Ck on Pc.ul Harbor. Thus. while we engaged more .md more of che M1bd11's cronp-; as the Rude of the Philippines hciglm·ned in fury. our allies in the P.icilic were en.1bled co bolsccr rhcir dci<-mes .1ml co prcp.>re 10 dt·.11 counter-blows ag.1inst the wmmnn enemy. Thou>.1nds of bra,·e Filipino and Americ.rn '"!Jicrs pcri,heJ. hm not in vain. TODAY, a full }ear ,1ftcr B.u.1.1n s I.ill, rhc Filipino spirit of rcsist.rn(e persists. Herl' 111 continl'nt.d l 'nir,·d ~r.1rcs .ind Hawaii. thousands of Fd1p1nm. young .11i.I ol.!. luvc r.ill1c'd t11 the war c!Tnrr. Tlwre arc .drl'.1,Jr tW•> rce1m,·nt' nf F1hpino infantry completing chur rr.11;ung 111 ( .. dii,,rn1.>. while mher Filipinos are serv111g 111 v.1riou' u11m • ,f rhc· l 'nitl'J St3tes Army. in the N,I\')'. in die C.<>.1St (-.u.1rd .rnc! 111 the merchant marine. Many <>f 1hun h.1Yc ,,.rn .1L111lll .ind the roll of Filipino dead in \".triou\ front< is kn.~rhcn1ni;. i\!.my Fd1p1n1" .ire >Llb'Crtbtng Ill great historic significance. It did nor airer-or impair, in any sense, the existing constitutional relationship between the United States and rhe Philippines. But, by this single acr, the Philippines gained an imernational personality. Full text of the adclresM deliverccl hv Vice President Sergio Osmena at the 47th 0 annual meeting of the American Academy of Politieal and Social Science, at Philadelphia, Pennsylw.1r b1mds .. in.I working in the w.1r pl.1nts. on the f.irms .rnd pl.1111.1CL1>ns .. ind in the gov<.:r11111ent S(·rvice. V1cwc.-d from the political .111gle, our st.md in the Philippines \\.ts also signifiwnt. By vania, on April 10, 1943. Under the sponsorship of the United States and with the acquiescence of the Other powers, she signed, for rhe firsr rime in her history, a highly political international instrument, in her own name and as an equal. What is the Philippines ro the United Nations? Whar does she hold for rhem, now and in the furure? What con· triburion can she make towards accomplishing the difficult tasks that lie ahead? Broadly stated, the rwo prime objectives of the United Narions are ro win this war and to win the peace that is to follow. This war must be won before peace can come, and rhe peace must be won, roo, in order ro prevent a recurrence of war. Otherwise, rhe vicious cycle of war and peace will continue. THE Philippines, small nation rhar she is, has already made substantial conq-ibucions coward attaining the firsr objecrive. During the early phase of the war in the Pacific, when every United Nations citadel there was crumbling wirh appalling rapidity under Japan's hammer blows, the Philippines alone withstood the enemy's relentless and devastating assaults. Besieged, isolared and oumumbered, Filipino and American soldiers fought and died together on Bataan and Corregidor. With rhe support of rhe entire Filipino people, they waged the Bartle of the Philippines. From the military point of view, this firm srand in the Philippines was valuable ro rhe United Nations. Bataan and Ccrregidor changed the whole course of the war in the 4 our lighting on the side of the United Nations in this war. America's policy of :•!truism and democracy in the Philippines w;1s vindicated. While the defense of the Philippines against foreign aggression is a legal r~sponsibility of rhe United Stares as the sovereign power, we fought nevenheless-willingly and wirhout reserve. The entire people rose in resistance against rhe invader, bearing the brunt of the bloody defense. We kepr our pledge to stand by America "in life and in death". By fighting, we have also given the subject peoples of the world an example of performance of the inescapable duty ro freedom and independence. Any nation rhar believes itself capable and deserving of freedom must defend itself against aggression, no matter how much weaker or less prepared it may be than the aggressor. Its duty is to meet the attack and show irs readiness to assume rhe responsibilities which independence entails. HAVING displayed a high sense of responsibility we have advanced also ~ strong argument in favor of the right of dependent peoples co choose the form of government under which they will Jive. We have proved that the peoples of Asia h• ve as much apcirude for democracy and fri::edom as the peoples of c:!her parts of the world. Indeed, any dependent people, if given the same opporcuniry for training and development that was afforded the Filipino people, will ~e able to develop the habits of discipline and self-conrrol which are essenrial ro rhe maintenance of an orderly and stable government. PHILIPPINES In rhe less immedi;ue bur equ;11ly Yitai ta~k of saving rhe pe;Ke, rhe Philippines sr;mds re;1dy tO cooper;He wi[h rhe United Narions. l-la\·ing been ;1 Yicrim herself of unjus[ified aggression. she narnr.uly is inrerested in any sound plan of world-wide collectiYe sen1riry. logic:tlly. her immedia[e concern will be in her own neighborhood. the Far Easr. The peculiar geogr;1phic;tl :tnd political char;ictcrisncs of that p:m of the globe. wirh irs many thickly populated sr'1res, :md with peoples of di\'erse la11guages. religions. i:usroms and ideologies. h;we made ic a powder keg almos[ as explosi,·e as Europe. The world ag._i:ressors first began to m:irch against freedom when Japan invaded l\fanchuria in I 93 I. le w.1s the Jap:inese ,mack on Pearl Harbor and rhe Philippines rhat brought rhe Uni[ed Stares into rhe fight. \'i7 e know now thar there can be no '"localized w;ir", rha[ aggression in one place results in war elsewhere. The Far E:isr is by no means an exceprion ro rhis new bw governing a shrunken world. WE have learned from past experience char any organization that proposes to preserve peace must have force behind it. If ir lacks the power and faciliries to carry out irs decisions. it will prove impotent against war-minded nae ions and will finally collapse. This was the case wirh the League of Nations. Force, co maintain law and order, is viral in a world society, as it is in any community. Whatever form this force mav assume in the future, whether it be in rern:irional or othen:.•ise, it musr be sufficient to deal with rhe menace where,·er it arises. To this force, rhc: Philippines is ready ro make her comriburion in manpower, materials and facilities. If che Philippines, scracegically located ac rhe intersection of rhe world's airways and sea lanes, is backed by rhe power of the United Stares wich whom she is affiliared by many years of association and by common democraric principles, and becomes a parr of whatever inrernarional force is established by the United Nations after rhe war, she can serve as rhe bastion of law and order in rhe Far Easr. Bue peace-truly lasting peace-cannot be effecrively maintained through force of arms alone, no matter how srrong and concerred ir may be. In facr, no sysrem based purely on force has ever managed to endure, especially when it has to meet rhe rising senrimenr of nationalism. Such a sysrem is bound to engender ill-will and harred. It is also bound ro weaken as soon as dissension and bickering arise among rhose who impose it; and when rhis happens, rhe whole artificial srrucrure collapses. PEACE, if iris to be lasring, can only be a people's peace, and force is nor enough co achieve ir. Within rhe domain of a people's peace, force musr be supplemented by the maintenance of justice, and the culrivation of understanding, goodwill and cooperation among peoples. Bur, before we can ever hope to achieve harmony and cooperation, we musr first dissipate rhe distrust of subjecr peoples, for it is. principally to chem chat the United Na-. rions address the democratic principles of rhe Adanric Charter. This war, in rhe military sense, may or may not be won without rheir acrive collaboration, but an enduring peace can noc be established without their support. MAY 6, 1943 Tht• l' nil<'tl ~l:tl<'~ Trt•asur~· n1•1)m·lm<'nl !ms lm1m•lw1l a tlrin• lo !It'll lhirlf't•n hillion doll:1rt< worlh of \Y ar Uond... I m·µ:t• rH•ry Filipino in tlw l 'nitf'tl St:11t•,. arul llawaii lo roop<'l'al<' "ilh this r:nup:ii~n hy 11111·t•ha,..i11µ: Wm· Bond,. am! SI.amps lo tlw limit of hi~ financinl :ihilitit•s, Our t•ountrymt•n who hmµni•h cnulrr tht• t•nemy's mililary ot·rupation of th<' Philippines m·<' lookinµ: to us for tlwir nltimall' lih· rr:1tio11. Soml' of us 1•m1 ~1,..t•tl thar tiny of lihPration-.m; Wf' art .. tryinµ: lo clo-hy i;;.c•r\ in~ in tlw Armt'tl For1·rs. hy \\111·ki11µ: in \Hll' planls ancl on th•• farm~. and in many orlwr \\:ty~. But all of"'' c'an lwlp frt•t• our C'ounlry hy pur .. ha~inµ Au,Pri<'an \V<1r Bond~ anti Stamp~ to ht•lp finanrc• tht• \Hlr pfforl of tht' l 'nilcd Statt•s. I know that all Filipino~ "ill 111u·tiripalr in this rmnp:iign mu] rt•tlt•t•m tilt' ""'rifit·•· maclr hy our hoy~ on Bataan. -M\:'ffEL L c,1n:zo~. How shall we: wm [he COOJ><:r.uion •lnd goud-w1H of dependent peoples? An 1mporram srcp tow.ird g.uning chi:. cooperation and good-will would be th<.' um·qut\'0(.1l apph· cation of rhe principles t•I chc Ari.um< CllJm:r to en~ry one: of them, withour excepuon. The next S[cp would be co cum d1ese principles into a living re.tlity so th.it rhey mighr be felt b)' those who doubt rheir value and eff1ca.:y. The <lep~·ndem peoples muse be made ro feel rh:1t this is nor a war to preserve the 1h1t111 q110. which, indeed. cannot be done. The)' must be made co realize that the)' have somerhing to gain b)' a Unired Nations victory after the war, rhar such victory will resulr in their liberation, and not in a mere change of masters or in a retention of the old one. THE recognition vf rhe righr ro independence of all dependent peoples who fee:! themselves cnpable of enjoying ir is, however, only a preliminary seep toward lasting peace. Ir will go a long way, but surely. it will noc go all the way. Even if all rhe nations and peoples of the world were independent and free, wars would srill break out should distrusr, arrogance and selfishness continue to plague mankind. We must, therefore, educare ourselves and dispel these social maladies. The myrh of racial superiority and the policy of exploitation muse be definitely abandoned. The gap between peoples of different races can be bridged wirh undersranding if the right policy is chosen. This was demonstrated by rhe happy outcome of the joint Filipino-American advenmre. By first promulgating an alrruisric policy-"the Philippines for the Filipinos"-and then following it to the letter and spirit, America succeeded in winning over the sceptical and antagonistic Filipinos and in changing their policy of opposition ro chat of cooperation. As a result of rhis cooperation, great progress was achieved by our country. The universalizarion of education, 5 the imprm·ement of health and sanitation. the building up of an independent judiciarr and of a sound civil service S}"Stem, the construnion oi roads, bridges :ind other import.mt public works, the smbiliz:ition of the n;uional econ,im\·. the development of self-gO\·ernment and the prep;iration l~r ultimate independence in 1946---all chcse. ;md more. were accomplished in the short period oi fony ye;1rs. Here, indeed, w:is national progress ;md self-dewlopmenr. unparalleled in the history of inrer-raci,11 relacionship. \Vhen war overtook us in 1941 and our soldiers fought alongside tbeir American comrades. we did nothing more th:m continue our policy of complcce cooperacio~· with the Uniced Sures, a policy alreJ.dy firmlr established many ye.us ago. In rhe new world of freedom and security. of peace and understanding among peoples of differenc races. which rhe Unired Narions hope ro build, che Philippines is in a unique position ro make a nluablc conrribucion. Hisrory has made us a people that is equally at home in the traditions and civilizations of both the East and the Wesr. This is so because, while geographically, we are located in the flr E~r, absorbing in che early years che culture of Asia, we have been also the recipient of western intluences in the course of our long association wich Spain and the United States. It may be said of us, wich some degree of accuracy. that we are the most occidental of Orientals, and rhe mosc oriental of Occidentals. Midway between Orient and Occident. wirh Chriscian tradicions daring as far back as the l 6ch century, with a background of struggles and sufferings, and wirh a record Filipinos Can Now Own Land In California an cl Arizona NOW ir is possible for Filipinos to lease or buy real property in the States of California and Arizona, according to separate but similar rulings by rhe Anorneys-General of rhese two states, chus further strengthening PhilippineAmerican relations. The California ruling was handed down on April 1st, 1943, in a Jeerer addressed to the Discricc Attorney of Santa Clara County, San Jose, California, by the Auorney General in answer co charges instituted againsc a Filipino for holding land in California contrary to the Alien Property Initiarive Act of 1920. This statute provides in part as follows: 6 .. Sec. 1. All aliens eligible ro citizenship under the laws of the United States may acquire, possess, enjoy, use, cultlvatc, occupy, uansfer, transmit and inherit real property, or any interest therein, in this state, aod have in whole or in part the beneficial use thereof, in the same manner and to same extent as citizens of the United States, except as otherwise provided by the laws of this staie." .. Sec. 2. All aliens other than those mcmioned in section one of thjs aa may acquire, possess, enjoy, use, cuhivate, occupy and uansfer real property,. or any interest therein, jn this state, and have in whole or in part the beneficial use thereof, in the manner and to the extent, and for the purposes prescribed by any rreaty now existing between the government of the United States and the nation or counuy of which such alien is a citizen or subject, and not otherwise." of h;l\'ing earned her liberation through the orderly proc· esses of self-govcrnmcnr. rhe Philippines feels chat she c;m-aod musr-assist che United Nations in their determined effort to assure the fuml.1mcntal hunun rights m all che peoples of the e.1rrh. Fur. in rhis life-;1nd-dc.1th struggle bct\\"ccn '' sl.we world .md a free world. chc Philippines sc.111Js ;1s " vi\'id cx.1mplc of whac the nacions of the Wcsr cm do for all dependcnc peoples en·rywhere; and ro these dcpenJcnc peoples. who hunger for jusnce. freedom and happiness, rhe Philippines symbolizes the go.11 ch.it cJn be attained not by dJStrmt, bluodshed and ''iolend::. buc by friendship. understanding anJ coll.ibnr.nion. The Ad.mtic Ch.mer 1s no new thing. !ts dunnc.raric principles, wirh che exception. perhaps. ~f d1.1t rd.Hing ro t.·i.:unurnic secunry. were .111t-n1bollacd111the11n.i..::11ul Amcric.111 pledge of liberty and sdl·go,·crnmcm '" rhc F1hpinu people. It is 111 n:;1hr) .1 rc.'-st.trcmcnr <>f 1 he· pnm:iplc> enunciacc.«l in the Amcricm Decl.1r.1 tJo"' , if I nJc. pen,IL-nce Of [ 776, dr.1ftcJ right here.· in chis hi\t'1flL Ul}' 1>i J'h1bJcJphia .111d proclaimed 111 rhe whole '"''rid. Just as AmeriG1 c1n nnr. in thc unmon.d \\ords ot l.1ncoln, survive h.tlf sl.1vc .rnd 11.111 fre<:, nc1ther <.in this wllfld of ours remain h.1lf sl,l\'t' .ind h.1lf free. The Arl.rnc1c C.h.lfter offers a prnmi;c of .1 h.1ppy world !O .111 pet>pks. le is our politic1l crceJ cod.t}. 111 1h1s dire moment when 1<>1.1litarianis1n chre.ltens rn dC'~1 rny li\·111z.ui1 m L<:-t 1 r n.~m.1 in our creed tomorrnw when pc;i<<: come». and ll't us Jin• up co ir forever. THE question of whether .1 Filipino is barred from holding real properry under this l.1w has never been p"ssed upon by the courts of California. but opinions of the previous Actorncys-General of che State have held char Filipinos, with the exception of chose who had rendered service in rhe United States Navy or Marine Corps or the Naval Auxiliary Service, come within rhe provisions of the California Alien Land Acr. Ir was contended rhat Filipinos not being eligible to citizenship unless they have enlisred or served in the rhe United Scares Navy or Marine Corps or Naval Auxiliary Service, can not enjoy rights of ownership in real property in the State. "This office has, in the past," writes the present Attor· ney-General, "advised that by reason of the unseeded state of the law, it would be unwise to advise any Filipino that he would be secure in rhe property righrs should he ac· quire and attempt to hold real property in this state. We are inclined to view at this time, however, that, since aliens only are referred to in rhe California Alien Propcrcy Initiative Act of 1920, and since rhe Nationalicy Code classifies Filipinos as nationals and says expressly thar rhey are not aliens, were the matter now to be submitted to the courcs of this state, rhey would hold that a Filipino is nor barred from holding real property in California." ( Comi,.ued on page 8) PHILIPPINES
pages: 3-6