ANN1VEESAEJ NUMBEB 1919 



The Philippines and their Part in the Great War 



Based on Official Data Furnished by the Philippine Council of National Defense 



MRS. A. S. CROSSFIELD, FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE PHIL- 

 IPPINE CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS 



F\K removed from theseatof war, affected 

 very little in a direct way by the hostili- 

 ties in Europe, the Philippine Islandshave 

 played a part in aiding the cause of the United 

 States and the nations associated with her in 

 the struggle against Germany, that has been 

 nothing short of remarkable. 



When the United States government sever- 

 ed diplomatic relations with the imperial 

 German Empire as a result of the resump- 

 tion of ruthless submarine warfare, a fair 

 part of the interned fleet of German vessels 

 lay in Manila Bay. As was the case in Ameri- 

 can ports, the German authorities, realizing 

 that a declaration of war was imminent, 

 issued orders which resulted in the imme- 

 diate destruction, or attempted destruction, 

 of the complicated driving machinery aboard 

 the ships. It was to prevent greater damage 

 to the boats than had been effected during 

 the first night, when their crews received or- 

 ders from the German consulate, that the 

 Philippine Government took its first step 

 toward active participation in the war. 



Through the cooperation of the civil au- 

 thorities and of the navy stationed in Manila 

 bay, these ships were actually taken over and 

 placed in the custody of American naval and 

 Philippine constabulary guards weeks be- 

 fore the United States finally declared war 

 upon Germany. As a result of this prompt 

 action on. the part of the local government 

 it was possible to place at the disposal of the 

 federal authorities everyone of the German 

 vessels within six months after hostilities 

 had commenced, and at the tithe, it may 

 truthfully be said, the ships were not less 

 seaworthy than when brought by their 



masters in Manila Bay in order to escape 

 capture at the hands of the British and Japa- 

 nese squadrons. 



As soon as war had been declared the de- 

 sire of the Philippine government to cooper- 

 ate to the fullest extent with the United 

 States in its prosecution was made manifest 

 in many ways. But, as is usually the case 

 following moments of the greatest stress and 

 excitement, it soon became apparent that the 

 greatest results could only be achieved 

 through a 'definite co-ordination of effort. 



The adoption of the council of National 

 Defense idea, as it had been developed by 

 the federal government and various states 

 of the union, offered the most logical solu- 

 tion for local difficulties. 



\Yith the full support of the government 

 at Washington, Governor General Francis 

 Burton Harrison, in September 1918, took 

 formal steps to orgnize the Philippine Coun- 

 cil of National Defense, under the general 

 supervision of which the war activities of 

 the Philippine government have since been, 

 and, until the signature of the peace treaty, 

 will be conducted. 



While the council is today filling a most 

 important place in the patriotic life of the 

 entire Philippine community, much was ac- 

 complished through the agency of patriotic 

 Filipino leaders, American citizens, the 

 Philippines chapter of the American Red 

 Cross, organizations existing within the allied 

 communities of Manila and other important 

 Philippine towns, and through the initative 

 of the Philippine Legislature before the 

 council became officially existant. 



BRIGADIER GENERAL RALPH W. JONES, ADJUTANT 

 GENERAL AND ORGANIZER OF THE PHILIPPINE GUARD 

 DIVISION 



THE PHILIPPINE GUARD 



Almost immediately following the dec- 

 laration of war the proposal to organize 



AMERICAN AND FILIPINO WOMEN SELLING LIBERTY BONDS. FOURTH LIBERTY LOAN 



