| PHILIPPINE ISLANDS Under the act of March 24, 1934, (note 27) the status of these islands has been altered, and its government is now taking the preliminary steps to independence which, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions, will become complete 10 years following the inauguration of the new government authorized by the act. In the interim the government will still be under the jurisdiction of the United States. Although an insular possession, it was never incorporated as a Territory like Hawaii. Congress has made no provisions for extending American citizenship to the inhabitants except those native Filipinos over 21 who have been honorably discharged, or who have received an ordinary discharge with recommendation for reenlistment after not less than 3 years' service in the United States Navy, Marine Corps, or the Naval Auxiliary Service. (note 28) In fact, the Supreme Court has said (note 29) that other Filipinos who are neither white nor of African nativity or descent are ineligible to citizenship. The act of July 1, 1902, (note 30) stated briefly that all inhabitants of the Philippine Islands continuing to reside therein who were Spanish subjects on April 11, 1899, and their children born subsequent thereto, should be deemed to be citizens of the Philippine Islands, and as such entitled to the protection of the United States; except such as elected to preserve their allegiance to the Spanish Crown. This act was extended somewhat by that of August 29, 1916. (note 31) By the act of February 8, 1905, (note 32) it was provided that the immigration laws of the United States should be administered by the officers of the Philippine government and that head tax collected should be covered into the treasury of the islands. Immigration laws, including the Chinese Exclusion Acts, have been enforced by the collector of customs at Manila. Section 6 certificates for exempt Chinese are issued to those destined to the United States or insular possessions by the Chinese Consul General at Manila, and visaed by the collector of customs. The immigration acts of February 20, 1907, and February 5, 1917, both included the Philippine Islands within the term "United States." Earlier issues of regulations under the former act exempted, with certain exceptions, aliens from examination thereunder who had been duly admitted to the United States or its Territories or insular possessions, proceeding to or from continental United States. Such regulation was later found to be too liberal and fraught with danger, and so was amended. Although citizens of the Philippine Islands were not regarded as aliens under the act of February 5, 1917, many of them are of Chinese descent, and so are subject to the provisions of the Exclusion Acts (note 33) when applying for admission to the United States proper, or its possessions. (note 34) The act of March 24, 1934, has superseded the provision of section 28 (b) of the Immigration Act of 1924 excluding citizens of the Philippine Islands from the definition of "alien." A consular officer is now stationed at Manila to issue immigration and passport visas to Philippine citizens and other aliens seeking to come to the United States. Heretofore, the collector of customs was authorized under section 28 (e) of the Immigration Act of 1924 to issue such visas to aliens. Although the majority of Philippine citizens are persons ineligible to citizenship in the United States, and are now regarded as aliens, the provisions of section 13 (c) of the 1924 law will not apply to them until complete independence of the Philippines is achieved. Under the new law, accepted by concurrent resolution of the Philippine Legislature on May 1, 1934, and therefore effective on that date, an exception is made in favor of Philippine citizens entering Hawaii in possession of documentary evidence showing admissibility thereto in accordance with the determination of the Department of the Interior, based on the needs of the industries of Hawaii. Such persons are admitted without regard to the provisions of our immigration laws. This exception was deemed necessary to assure a supply of agricultural labor in Hawaii, Filipinos having supplanted Chinese and Japanese labor on the sugar-cane plantations in recent years. The coming of such aliens to continental United States from Hawaii is guarded against by regulation. The Philippine Islands are now regarded as a foreign country for the purposes of sections 18 and 20 of the Immigration Act of 1917, as amended; and for seaman arrivals. |
| Note the similarities of Taiwan status with a Military Government for the Rules of Chargeabilty as a Self-governing Dominion |