Characterizing the rule of Governor-General Wood as "militaristic and reactionary, and in complete defiance of every American tradition", Manuel Roxas, Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, and Special Commissioner to the United States, in a recent interview with a CRIMSON reporter, declared that Governor Wood's actions have "broken asunder all the bonds of concord that have united Americans and Filipinos since the bloody struggle of 1899."

Speaker Roxas outlined past relations between the islands, and this country. He summarized the present grievances of the Filipinos against General Wood and stated their claims for independence.

"The people of the United States," he said, "with the enactment of the Jones Law in 1916, formally and officially promised to recognize the independence of the Philippine Islands as soon as a stable government could be established. This requirement has been fully met, While America was bending all her energies toward the prosecution of the War; through the agency of a Filipino controlled government, deriving its powers from the peaceful suffrage of the people, American sovereignty and international responsibilities were made secure. No reason exists now why there should be further delay in the granting of that which the Filipinos rightfully seek, and that which in honor America has promised."

The Special Commissioner then pointed out that instead of being granted the long deferred independence which has been promised them, the Filipinos, have recently been deprived, without any just and legitimate reason of some of the political powers already guaranteed.

"Governor-General Wood," he said, "has surrounded himself with a secret cabinet composed of military and extralegal advisers, which has encroached upon the legitimate functions of the Filipino officials in the government. He has placed himself over and above laws passed by the Philippine Legislature. He has abused the veto power and destroyed our budget system, attempting to inject the autocracy of an irresponsible appointed executive into a representative democracy. The freedom and happiness of the Filipino people are too sacred to be the plaything of a one man power."

The immediate freeing of the Islands is therefore the duty of this country, was Speaker Roxas' final statement.