Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 2

696.00/2–1054: Telegram

No. 352
The Acting Secretary of State to the Embassy in the Philippines

secret

Washington, February 13, 1954—1:35 p.m.

2050. Your 1713.¹ Department agrees desirability Magsaysay and other Philippine leaders convince other free Asian nations that Philippines, as fellow Asian nation, vitally interested Asian area and problems, in order that Philippine example and influence may carry greater weight.

However, Department agrees view … that widespread use in Philippines and elsewhere of slogan “Asia for Asians” would be most unfortunate. Regardless of intent of originators, would carry unsavory recollections of Japanese wartime slogan and could easily be misinterpreted by public at large to be anti-Western in intent. This would hardly be helpful to U.S. stake in Far East, French in Indochina, British in Malaya, etc. Therefore Department does not agree recommendation your tel 1713 re Department and USIA utilization and suggests that utilization by Philippine leaders be discreetly discouraged.

Department believes that theme advocating solidarity and cooperation free Asian nations, avoiding innuendos exclusion of west and in fact advocating free Asian solidarity within framework solidarity free world as whole, would strike happier note.

Smith

1. In telegram 1713, Feb. 10, the Embassy expressed the view that the enunciation of the “Asia for Asians” theme recently by Guerrero and Recto was an excellent development which could and should be used by the Department and USIA in Asian countries to show that the Philippine leaders were not puppets of the United States, were interested in Asia, and considered themselves Asian. All of this would help to improve Magsaysay’s image as a potential regional leader. (696.00/2–1054)