Report That Philippine Products are Now "Foreign" Seems Based on Misunderstanding

In some manner the idea seems to have gained some credence, even among well posted people, that the Philippine Government is now independent, since the passage of the so-called "Philippine Independence Act," and that because of that fact Philippine products are norv classed as "foreign" rather than "domestic." The point has been raised with regard to the classification of su'ch products in the matter of freight rates, and also with regard to the use of Philippine products on Government jobs, where the "Buy American" provisions of the Appropriations Act for the Treasury and Post Office departments apply.

This point will undoubtedly be passed on officially, but in the meantime it seems to The California Lumber Merchant that Philippine products are actually more American now than they have ever been since we took the Islands over; that the United States now has a tighter hold of and more jurisdiction over the Philippine Islands under the "Independence Act" than it has had since military jurisdiction was terminated in 1902.

Here is why we think so: Title 3 of Publi,c Act No. 428 of the 72nd Congress, provides that only products which have been produced in the United States shall be acquired for public use; and the term "United States" is defined to in,clude "the United States and any place subject to the jurisdiction thereof." The question therefore resolves itself into whether or not the Philippine Islands are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

The status of the Philippine Islands is at present fixed by the so-called "Philippine Independence Acd' (C. 84, 48 Stat.456; U. S. C.48:1231). And here are some of the provisions of that Act: rNumbered paragraph 1 of 'Section 2 of the Act provides that all citizens of the Philippine Islands shall owe allegiance to the United States.

Numbered paragraph 2 of Section 2 provides that every officer of the government of the Commonwealth of the Phillippine Islands shall take an oath of office declaring among other things that he recognizes and accepts the supreme authority of and will maintain true faith and al.legiance to the United States.

Numbered paragraph 6 of Section 2 retains in the Congress of the United States the power to limit the public debt in the Philippine Islands.

Numbered paragraph 9 of the same Section provides that acts of Philippine legislation affecting currency, coinage, imports, exports, and immigraton shall not be,come law until approved by the President of the United States.

Numbered paragraph 1O of the same. Se,ction provides that all foreign affairs shall be under the direct supervision and control of the United States.

Under paragraph 12 of. that Section the United States reserves the right to appropriate property for public uses; and provides further that the armed for'ces of the Philippine government shall be subject to the ,call of the President of the United States.

Paragraph 13 of that Section provides that decisions of the Philippine'courts shall be subject to revierv by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Paragraph 2 of Section 7 provides that the President of the United States shall have authority to suspend the .taking effect of the operation of any law, contract, or executive order of the government of the Commonrvealth, n'hich in his judgment deserves suspension.

Section 1O of the Act provides that the United States shall surrender all right of possession, supervision, .control, or sovereignty then existing and exer,cised by the United States, ten years from the date of the inauguration of the first President of the new Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands.

It therefore seems to The California Lumber Merchant that the Philippine Islands are more genuinely subject to the jurisdiction of the United States today than they have ever been before, and that the products of the Islands will be and must be considered "domesti,c" products for ten more years, or until such jurisdiction terminates. We fail to understand how any other intelligent and fair decision could be reached in the matter.

\f. V. \(/hitson

Walter Verne Whitson, president of the Whitson Lumber Company since its organization in 1923, died at his home in Santa Ana, Wednesday night, December 11. Death was due to a heart ailment from which he had suffered for the past two years. He was 56 years of age.

Mr. Whitson was born in Tipton, Iowa, and came to Santa Ana with his parents in 1882. In 1893 they returned to Topeka, Kans., where he completed his education. When he returned again in 1901, he became associated rvith the lumber business in Fullerton, later working for concerns in Redlands and Santa Ana. In 1923, he founded the Whitson Lumber Co. in Santa Ana which has a branch yard at Tustin.

On Thanksgiving Day of 1901, he married Miss Tieuseau Mulinix of Santa Ana. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Tieuseau T. Whitson, two daughters, Mrs. Mildred Smith and Mrs. Margaret Elliott; his mother, Mrs. Mary C. Whitson, a sister, Miss Martha Whitson, all of Santa Ana; four brothers, Dr. L. L. Whitson, Santa Ana; R. A. and R. L. Whitson, Los Angeles, and E. B. Whitson, Balboa. Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon, December 14, in Santa Ana.

Mr. Whitson was active in civic and fraternal affairs for many years. He was a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Santa Ana, a member of Santa Ana Lodge No. 241, F. & A. M., of which he was a past master, past commander of Knights Templar Commandery No. 36 and a past patron of Hermosa chapter, Order of Eastern Star. He was a past president of the Santa Ana Community Chest and a director of the Salvation Armv.