| Show W WOOD D CONSIDERS lA VING MANilA Has Lost Enthusiasm Belief Belief Belief Be Be- lief Mission of Thompson Thomp Thomp- son Viewed as Affront By FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE Written for The Telegram WASHINGTON Aug 2 2 Despite official d denials denials to the contrary byboth by byboth byboth both President the war department It appears likely that Leonard Wood will resign as govenor governor gover gove- nor gener general l of the Philippines Residents ResIdents Residents Resi ResI- dents of ot the the Islands Islands who are close to General Wood believe that the leave of absence which tho the governor Is contemplating will be Indefinitely prolonged and will wilt finally culminate te teIn In the handing In of his resignation LACKS CONFIDENCE The immediate reason given for General Woods Wood's action is the sending of Colonel Carml Thompson as special Investigator to spend six months months making a report which h Wood could prepare In a week In view of General Woods Wood's five years of tropical tolland toll toil tolland and the fact that this Is his second sojourn in the Philippines Colonel Thompsons Thompson's Investigation Is viewed as a personal affront by all those around the governor If not by the governor himself Mr 1 Coolidge itis It Itis is pointed out on the islands apparently apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap lacks confidence in the judgment of General Wood GREEN OBSERVER When President Harding want wanted d da a report on the Philippines following followIng following follow follow- ing the administration of Governor Harrison he sent two governors ex-governors Cameron Forbes ana and Leonard Wood men who knew the islands and their people A gr green Cn observer It Is well known In the Philippines Is apt to fall into the hands of the politicos who are In the finesse oi of showing all the achievements of the Filipino people and none of ot their failures ANOTHER REASON General Wood has however another another another an an- other and more fundamental reason for considering resignation He feels that the laws of congress for the governing of ot the Philippines are so I constructed that It is Impossible for him to go either backward or forward and that for five years he heh h has s been more mOle or less battering his head against a stone wall Wood Is a man of virile energy positive ideas and tremendous enthusiasm en en- en When I saw him in Manila Manila Ma Ma- nila four years ago he was expendIng expending expending expend expend- ing all of these on his new job He told me of his plans to make Manila the great American trading center of the Pacific He was persuading the Standard Oil the Singer Sewing Machine and other companies which do gigantic business In China tomake to tomake tomake make Manila their base The Fili Filipinos Filipinos Fili- Fili pinos were the only Christian peoples peoples peoples peo peo- ples In the infidel Orient he said and he intended to give gl them the protection they required His en enthusiasm enthusiasm enthusiasm en- en and energy were undaunted ed even by the steaming enervating heat of Manilas Manila's rainy season CHANGED MAN A few tew months ago go when I saw General Wood again in Manila 1 he was a changed man Instead Of tellIng telling telling tell tell- ing me of his plans for the future he described the political tangles which made those plans impossible of execution The Filipino legislature legislature legislature legisla legisla- ture had balked him as it wished Under the Jones Mones act the legislature had the power to r rt cc ct cabinet cabin t appointments so that it was impossible Im Impossible Impossible Im- Im possible evert even to form a cabinet t which would execute his plans Woods Wood's Indomitable will was still I as strong as aEl ever But five years vears of ot fighting had brought him to the conclusion that without congressional congressional congressional action to modify the Jones act the Philippine government could make mako no progress HAS TAKEN NO REST The question of General Woods Wood s resignation may also be Influenced by the fact that he Is now 66 and has taken no rest or vacation during durIng during dur dur- ing five lve years of work In a climate which devastates the health of white men Woods Wood's possible return to the United States is looked upon with witha a certain amount of ot political speculation lation When he first became governor governOr governor gov gov- he turned down the presidency of the University of Pennsylvania probably because he considered the Philippines a better stone stepping-stone back bark Into the arena of the presidential presidential presidential nomination which he had Just lost Perhaps he remembered the remark which T Taft ft used to make to officials leaving for the islands The Philippines made me president I hope they the do the same for tor you General Genera Woods Wood's friends point out that if It he returns in the fall tall as expected he will arrive Just about in time to prepare for the 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