811B.00/145
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. Alger Hiss, Assistant to the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)
Subject: Acceleration of the date of Philippine independence.
| Participants: | Mr. Abe Fortas, Under Secretary of the Department of the Interior; Mr. E. D. Hester, Department of the Interior; Mr. Lockhart; Mr. Hiss. |
On the invitation of Mr. Fortas, who volunteered to supply the Department with information on recent developments on the above topic, Mr. Lockhart and Mr. Hiss called on Mr. Fortas who had Mr. Hester with him.
[Page 1104]Mr. Fortas said that he had attended a meeting at President Quezon’s apartment on Monday.13 He mentioned Secretary Stimson,14 Judge Rosenman15 and Senator Tydings as among those present. Secretary Ickes was also present. Mr. Fortas said that after prolonged discussion it was agreed that it would be recommended to the President that his proposed message to the Congress should ask for authorization to declare the Philippines independent “as soon as feasible”. This formula would eliminate the proviso, heretofore supported by most of the executive departments, that independence not be authorized until after the reoccupation of the Islands. At the same time it would give the President far more discretion than the pending Tydings’ Resolution which would require the declaration of the independence of the Philippines within thirty days after its effective date. It was also agreed at the conference at President Quezon’s apartment that the President’s message should provide for negotiations to insure the security of the Philippines. Mr. Fortas said that President Quezon considered it unwise to make any special mention of the word “bases”. In addition it was agreed that the President’s message recommend legislative authorization to consider the nature of U. S.–Philippine economic relations and to authorize an American program of rehabilitation in the Philippines.
Mr. Fortas then told us in strict confidence that upon Judge Rosen-man’s instructions, the Department of Interior is now engaged in drafting a revision of the Tydings’ Resolution, which revision Senator Tydings has agreed to introduce as his own measure. The revision will supersede the existing resolution and will be drafted in such a way as to carry out the recommendations contained in the President’s message.
While we were with Mr. Fortas a “ticker” report setting forth the text of the President’s message16 was received by Mr. Fortas. He glanced at it and said that the message had gone forward in the form agreed to.
Mr. Fortas said that there had also been discussion of the need for revising those provisions of the Tydings–McDuffie Act, as amended, which provide for a gradual adjustment in Philippine–American economic relations. Senator Tydings had agreed to the desirability of such revision but took the position that the revision should not be a part of the proposed independence resolution. It was, consequently, agreed that this matter should be taken care of by additional legislation which is also to be introduced by Senator Tydings. Mr. Fortas informed us in confidence that upon Judge Rosenman’s instructions [Page 1105] the Department of the Interior is also engaged in drafting this legislation.
Mr. Fortas said that Secretary Stimson has told him that he considers it most important that the economic legislation be enacted, and that it not become sidetracked. Secretary Stimson apparently regretted that it had been necessary to separate the two topics and place them in separate legislative proposals and he is apparently fearful that this separation will militate against the chances of the economic legislation being approved.
Mr. Fortas said that at the conference at President Quezon’s apartment he had pointed out that the existing Tydings’ Resolution greatly broadens the scope of the provision authorizing a conference of representatives of the Government of the United States and of the Commonwealth. Mr. Fortas said that he had pointed out that under the existing legislation this conference is limited to “formulating recommendations as to further trade relations between the United States and the independent Philippine Republic”; whereas Senator Tydings’ Resolution provides that the conference is “for the purpose of formulating recommendations as to further trade relations between the United States and the independent Philippine Republic, including all questions affecting the post-war economy, defense, and relationship of the two governments”. Mr. Fortas pointed out that it would be confusing to have the conference formulating recommendations as to post-war relationships of a political nature and as to military, naval and air bases, since these subjects are purely the province of the executive and not of the legislative branch of the Government. Mr. Fortas said that very little attention was paid to his remarks at the meeting but that he had subsequently expressed his views in greater detail and with greater emphasis to Judge Rosenman. Mr. Fortas said that there was little that his Department could do in this matter which he considered primarily of interest to the War and Navy Departments and the Department of State.
Mr. Fortas said that Senator Tydings had indicated that he contemplated proceeding with the new Resolution without hearings as soon as it was introduced.