PAGE EIGHT T H E MItHICAN DAILY SUNDAY, FEB. 13, 1944 -------- ------- - - ............ . . ... ............................................................. FREEDOM GUARANTEED: Lt. Enriquez Praises Aid of U.S. im Philippine Governiment "A people and a country that are afraid to be free deserve to be slaves forever," Lt. Alberto Enriquez, a sol- dier in the Philippine army who is studying here, with Co. A, said in a recent interview. "It only behooves us to aspire to be free since America has guaranteed us our freedom. The government of the Philippines is the achievement of the United States government. "This is the single example of a greater country helping her colony to attain freedom for no where else do we have such an example of freedom obtained under the tu- telage of a sovereign power," he said. "We could not defend our island for long by ourselves. I think this is the reason why there have been pro- visions that America should main- tain army and navy bases on the isl- ands after we receive our freedom. "We hope that America will work with other sovereign nations so that our neutrality will be re- spected. If this is done, I do not see where there could be any dan- ger. America will be too powerful to be ignored. "Like the Americans, we are made of many diverse blood strains. There is not one person you could point to as a pure Filipino, as we derive char- acteristics from many different races. "Our total population is about 18,- 000,000. We have enjoyed the bene- fits of civilization only a short time, as our development was retarded by lack of opportunity. After the Unit- ed States government took over, though, we made great progress. At the time of the war we had a balanc- ed budget and an autonomous form of government," he stated. "When I came to America in 1940, my impression was that of, a child meeting his Santa Claus for the first time. Every year it was customary for the Philippine government to send men to study at West Point, Anna- polis, other specialized schools. I was sent here by the constabulary, our law enforcement agency. "To most Filipinos, America is a far-away land of many possibili- ties and opportunities. The sun. was rising as our ship was passing under the Golden Gate bridge,C which to me was not only a beau- tiful sight but it was like the reali- zation of a dream. To Filipinos, America is a country you dreamf abuot but never visit," he added. Lt. Enriquez served as aide of Gen. B. J. Valdes, chief of staff of the Philippine government in exile which is now operating in Washington, D.C., He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines. While here he has studied in the F B I National Police Academy, ,United States Departmcht of Jus- tice, Chejnical Warfare School at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, and, Incendiary, Exposive and War Gas School of the New York Fire De- partment. He spent time observing the New York police department, the Michi- gan State police department, the Pennsylvania motor police, and the technical research department of the Chicago police. Search for Crash Vienii MEMPHIS, Feb. 12.---(/)-Swift currents of the Mississippi River to- night continued to baffle salvage crews searching for the bodies of 24 occupants of an American Airlines Transcontinental plane that plunged into the water Thursday night. Washlenaw vCounty Development Plotted x 9 * - K - -,./ t.., Q AKNN AR8+O 1