The Rotary Balita no. 701 (July 31, 1952)

"Irresponsible talk by highly placed persons in the Philippines is mainly responsible for the hesitancy of American capital to come to the Islands," revealed Minister Emilio Abello. He said that he was alarmed over the increasing misgivings of the American people with respect to the Filipino people. He was even surprised to know that some Americans claim that there is an anti-American feeling growing in the Philippines and trade controls are making American business untenable. The Americans also claim that there is a tendency, in our country, to nationalize the professions. "This apprehension could not be rightly said to be the overall opinion of the American people," he continued. "But the fact that such a question has been asked shows that a large segment of the American business world is showing a considerable concern about events that have recently transpired in the Philippines." Regarding the granting of American bases in the Philippines, he said that a number of Filipinos who lay claim to leader- ship publicly criticized the mutual defense pact entered into by both the American and the Philippine governments. He stated further that this people must have forgotten the ties that bind the two peoples in and in war. Abello said that in his contacts V American financiers, he was surprise find a great deal of sympathy about Philippine efforts to attain economic sufficiency and in fact hearty agreement with the various economic program initiated by the Philippine government toward t end. The minister added that in spite of 5 fact that the Philippine Association, Philippine American Chamber of Commerce in New York City, other civic organizations and the Philippine foreign service have been exerting efforts to make the Philippines well known, still there are Americans who are ignorant of our country. He cited an specific instance where during a television show emceed by the known comedian, Ken Murray, the c poser of the famous "St. Louis Blues" asked whether the song he composed inspired by the St. Louis Exposition held 1904. The composer replied in the initiative. The song-writer claimed that it was the Philippine Constabulary Band under the late Col. Loving that inspired him. "Was that the band that came from Hawaii?" Murray asked. "Yes, that was the one," the composer replied. During the luncheon, the Welfareville String Orchestra played the "William Tell Overture." Ben Legarda, Rotary delegate to the international Rotary meeting in Mexico City, gave a detailed report of his trip.