Journey Continued

Last week Col. Carmi Alderman Thompson, personal representative in the Philippines of President Coolidge, leisurely journeyed on as usual after leaving Damaghete, Occidental Negros, where, as in the other southern islands, special orders had been given that fat and lean Filipino females should cease chewing betel-nuts, smoking cigars, ambling about naked. No doubt as the good steamship Mindoro cleft azure wavelets, Mr. Thompson occasionally thought of the political situation in this southern section. He knew, of course, that these southern islands contain overwhelmingly Moro, Mohammedan, polygamous and warlike inhabitants who will not pay taxes as it is against their religion. Nor will these Moros ever forgive the Filipinos for forcing their children to go to school where they learn such bad habits as keeping their teeth white instead of black like their parents. Likewise, the Moros dislike both the Filipino and U. S. regimes but of the two prefer the U. S. Emissary Thompson had abundant evidence of this as he landed at Dansalan, Mindanao, where by onetime Filipino Legislature Representative Dau Tunpugao he was likened to "the rising sun" and told "we want to be governed from the beginning to the end of time by the Americans." Governor General Leonard Wood had been there three days before, had left without waiting for the Emissary. Strong men strained, heaved up anchor and Mr. Thompson again resumed his comfortable deck chair, gazed about as the boat proceeded down the coast of Mindanao, richest undeveloped island under the U. S. flag. Occasionally the party would land and thereupon be presented with the usual requests to continue U. S. rule. As his good ship lay off Zamboanga, Mr. Thompson was told that a Filipino-Moro clash had broken out over a question as to which delegation should have priority in greeting him. Said the Emissary: "If there is any danger, I shall not land."

Presumably informed that there was no danger, he landed, spoke first to theFilipinos, while troops held in check ardent Moro dagger experts; thento the Moros, while troops held in check ardent Filipino dagger-experts. General Leonard Wood, whose schedule is approximately one day ahead of the Colonel's, was informed of the disturbance, hastened back to Zamboanga, held a meeting where he presided as arbiter. Said he afterwards: "I am ashamed that the Christian Filipinos showed Mr. Thompson that they were unable to live amicably with the Moros. I regret to sav that discipline was maintained by the Mahometan Moros, but not by the Christian Filipinos. The Filipinos broke an agreement which they made in my presence two days ago. Knowing the danger of a conflict between the Moros and Filipinos, I arranged that both groups should share equally in the welcome to Mr. Thompson. Instead of keeping the agreement, the Filipino Governor sought to participate in trouble. . . . There might have been disastrous and bloody fighting but for the conduct of the American officers.' . . ." Colonel Thompson then departed, proceeded on to Jolo, Sulen Island, where was another disturbance, this time a minor one, culminating in the Moro datus* unsheathing their barongs and krises ominously, but quickly quieting when appeared a little brown figure in white alpaca coat, pongee trousers, patent leather shoes, stiff color, fez. Hadji Jamalul Kiram II, famed sultan of Sulu, then spoke: ". . . If we are cast off now [by the Americans] we will fight. They can cut our heads off before we will submit to the Filipinos. . . ."

* Moro feudal overlords.