"Welcome^ Mr. Thompson"

Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop, When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. . . .

An earthquake, not wind, last week rocked the chair of Col. Carmi Alderman Thompson, personal representative in the Philippines of President Coolidge (TIME, April 12, THE PRESIDENCY, April 19, July 19 et seq. THE CABINET) as he dined with Mrs. Thompson in a Manila hotel. "Hm-m-m," said Mrs. Thompson, "an earthquake." "Well, we can't help that," answered the Colonel. "Pass the olives." The next day Col. Thompson clambered into his Filipino-financed automobile for a tour of Tayabas province and a two-day visit at the plantation home of Manuel Quezon, president of the Filipino Senate. Like Caesar in triumph, Mr. Thompson's august entourage proceeded down a flower-strewn path between 3,500,000 coconut trees over 100 feet high--slowly on, on to Lucena, capital of the province, where eager little Malay schoolgirls dressed all in snowy white, held up an immense placard: "Welcome, Mr. Thompson; we are confident of your sense of justice."

Puny brown flunkies scoured floors, made them slippery with shining wax, lighted candles. In strutted hundreds of preening women, gorgeously gowned in native plumery. A formal ball was being held in the provincial palace. The guest of honor, Mr. Thompson, strode not without dignity to the centre of the immense ballroom, made a speech in which he urged that the acreage of coconut crops be increased, since coconuts are essential in making oils, soap, cosmetics and substitutes for butter, lard.

The steamer President Jackson docked at Manila to the blare of trumpets, hooting of whistles, insane racket of rockets, Roman candles, bombs, pistols, firecrackers. Students of the Philippine Women's College endeavored to sing the Hymn of Freedom. Down the gangplank strode Senator Sergio Osmena, took his proper place in the van of a colorful street parade proceeding through Luenta Public Park where Filipino lovers love o' nights. The Senator, who is credited with having defeated in 69th Congress repressive Filipino legislation, then called upon Col. Thompson, finally issued a statement. Said he: "Americans as a whole have the most friendly feeling toward us, sympathize with our aspirations for independence, recognize fully the obligation contained in the preamble to the Jones law and are disposed to favor more, instead of less, self-government for us." Recently in the U. S. gum-chewers were horrified upon opening their favorite pink-sheeted tabloid to see the photograph of a Filipino native with a four-inch tail.

Last week Perfecto E. Laguio, M. A., Yale 1926, saw in the picture evidence of subtle propaganda designed to defeat the move for Philippine independence. Said he, at Manila: "It is a fake which was exposed 14 years ago. How it has been resurrected I do not know, nor do I know whether the little paper was aware that it was a fake. Somebody who hates the Philippine Islands has produced it in order to persuade Americans that Philippines are incapable of governing themselves."

The Insular Supreme Court last week sustained a lower court decision sentencing seven Filipinos to 17 years in jail apiece for having sliced off the ears of one Popio Montenegro, school teacher opponent to Manuel Quezon, president of the Philippine Senate.