Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

FIRST PLENARY SESSION

11

tion, consolidation of mankind. We believe, however, that
those are extremely artificial things, against nature, and, therefore, are Utopic. We have already seen that the world-wide
enthusiasm for the League of Nations' idea at the end of the
war has evaporated in the face of the disillusioning reality.
At any rate we are convinced that nationalism will be strong
enough to reject any invitation to universal union. We are
constrained to assume that the present system of sovereign states,
each violently competitive against the other, must continue in
the future, however wasteful and socially destructive, and however monstrous the war possibilities that it must entail.
Whatever our dreams and desires and fears may be, we are
forced back to the conclusion that the present system of sovereign states will continue indefinitely.
The Communist idea is also antagonistic to nationalism,
since it directs men's imagination towards a world-wide community of workers. It conceives of the solidarity of the wageearner as antagonistic to the private ownership of the ruling
classes. Communism is also bound to fail. As a matter of
fact even in Russia where the government is in the hands of
the Communists, it has been found necessary to modify somewhat their principles and program.
Imperialistic nations have attemped to stifle nationalism
through various means. One of the means adopted is causing
an unprecedented prosperity and enhancing the welfare of the
people. Such was the policy that the British followed in
Egypt. The work of development was so effective that immediately agricultural production increased, followed, of course,
by a stimulation of imports and exports. For instance, the
value of the cotton crop rose from nine million pounds in 1881
to 52 million in 1924. Imports increased from seven million
pounds sterling in 1881 to 43 million in 1922. Nevertheless,
the Egyptians did not become happy. Even exposing themselves to the displeasure of being charged with ingratitude, they
continued feeling a crude sort of national consciousness and
longed like every other nation, for self-government, whether
it were good government or not.