Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 58 Part 1.djvu/645

 58 STAT.] 78TH CONG. , 2D SESS.-CHS. 308, 322-JUNE 28, 29, 1944 certain articles and materials for the use of the United States, and for other purposes", approved October 10, 1940 (54 Stat. 1090), as amended by the Act of July 2, 1942 (Public Law 643, Seventy-seventh Congress), is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 3 . The authority granted in this Act shall remain in force until June 30, 1945, or until such earlier time as the Congress by concurrent resolution or the President by proclamation may designate." Approved June 28, 1944. [CHAPTER 322] JOINT RESOLUTION Declaring the policy of the Congress with respect to the independence of the Philippine Islands, and for other purposes. Whereas, on December 7, 1941, while the people of the Philippine Islands were peacefully engaged in achieving for themselves their complete political independence in the manner mutually agreed upon by the Government of the United States and the people of the Philippine Islands, which independence was to become fully effective July 4, 1946, the Japanese in a wholly unprovoked, wan- tonly treacherous, and surprise attack on the people of the Philip- pines and of the United States, did by military invasion interrupt these orderly and mutually agreeable processes for complete inde- pendence of the Philippines; and Whereas the American and Filipino troops made a valiant and cou- rageous defense to the aggression of the Japanese invader and were overwhelmed only by the surprise and superior numbers and equip- ment of the enemy; and Whereas the Japanese are now in possession and control of the land, peoples, business, communication, and institutions of the Common- wealth of the Philippines, and because of these circumstances the Filipino people are denied the free use and employment of the processes and political institutions jointly established by the Gov- ernment of the United States and the Commonwealth of the Philip- pines for the transaction of private and public business and for the maintenance of liberty, law and order, and justice in the Philippine Islands; and Whereas by this possession and invasion the Japanese have attempted to frustrate the free processes to independence in the Philippines by substituting therefor their own puppet government which was conceived in intrigue, born in coercion, and reared primarily for the purpose of Japanese selfishness and aggrandizement and not to achieve the independence and freedom of the Filipino people; and Whereas the Government of the United States has solemnly guar- anteed to the people of the Philippine Islands the right to be com- pletely free and independent and to select by a free ballot, without any kind of inducement or coercion whatsoever, those who shall hold the elective offices in such government and exercise the power and authority thereof, which solemn guaranties have been tempo- rarily made impossible of fulfillment due to the wantonly treach- erous and surprise attack on the free people of the Philippine Islands; and Whereas, because of the valiant resistance by the Philippine people, which is even now continuing while the invader occupies parts of the Philippines, and because of the long and unbroken record of loyalty of the Filipino people, both to the cause of complete inde- pendence for themselves and to the sovereignty of the United States 93650'--45--PT. -- 40 625 56 Stat. 468. 50 U. S. C., Supp. III, app. § 713. Continuance of au- thority. June 29, 1944 [S. J. Res. 93] [Public Law 380] Philippine Islands.

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