Everlasting Gratitude

One day last week Sergio Osmena and Manuel Quezon, the two great leaders of the Philippine Nationalist party, marched into the Philippine legislature arm in arm. Their appearance in that fashion was greeted with surprise and applause, for they had been political enemies since a year ago when Congress offered the Philippines freedom and Senor Quezon succeeded in defeating acceptance of the offer.

But the applause was as nothing compared to the demonstrations next day when the legislature in joint session adopted a resolution written by Senores Quezon and Osmena, promising "appreciation and everlasting gratitude to the President and Congress of the U. S. and to the American people." The resolution was adopted on the 36th anniversary of the day when Commodore Dewey sailed into Manila Bay and made Swiss cheese of the impotent royal navy of His Imperial, 12-year-old Majesty, Alfonso XIII, last King of Spain. It marked the formal acceptance on behalf of the Philippines of the new offer of freedom made by Congress (TIME, April 2).

Next step on the road to independence will be the assembly July 4 of a convention to draft a constitution. When that fundamental document is approved by the President of the U. S., establishment of a Commonwealth next Jan. 1 will follow. Finally independence will come ten years after the birth of the Commonwealth.

In one respect, however, last week's action made Filipinos already independent. Foreigners in the eyes of the U. S. immigration law, they were entitled to a quota of 50 emigrants to the U. S. per year. To grant immigration visas, a U. S. vice consul was appointed to Manila just as if it were any other foreign port. Named to the post was Henry B. Day (Yale '27) who until last week was Vice Consul in Hongkong.

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