THE PHILIPPINES: Commissioner Mike

A clerk at the U. S. War Department last week administered an oath of office to a short but not swart, buck-toothed Spaniard. Manuel Quezon,President of the Philippine Commonwealth, had picked last spring this new man to be Philippine Resident Commissioner at Washington, succeeding banjo-eyed Politician Quintin Paredes. The new man’s name, Joaquin Miguel (“Mike”) Elizalde, is virtually the Philippine equivalent of Harold S. (“Mike”) Vanderbilt.

The Elizaldes are the islands’ richest Spanish family. Commissioner “Mike,” though born in Manila (1896), was schooled in Spain, served in the Spanish Army, still wears a military haircut. Five years ago he became a Philippine citizen to protect the family business, Elizalde & Co. Inc., a 10,000,000-peso corporation engaged in the hemp, sugar, coconuts, lumber, mining, ranching, shipping, distilling, insurance, etc. business. To President Quezon (whom “Mike” Elizalde calls “one of the greatest men in the world”), his country’s future problems seem more economic than political. So whom better could he have in Washington than the chairman of such an omni-industrial company?

More striking, however, than the economic talents, are the extracurricular talents “Mike” Elizalde will bring to the job of Resident Commissioner, which fun-loving Manuel Quezon plans to take over himself when his presidential term ends in 1941. A millionaire sportsman, Seňor Elizalde can play as well as trade with U.S. tycoons. With his brothers, Juan, Angel and Manolo—one of whom married a Spreckels of San Francisco—he used to have a polo team, rated at 19 goals, which won the Far Eastern title.* Besides enjoying the right to speak (but not vote) in Congress, to be entertained by Washington’s lion-hunting matrons, Commissioner Elizalde will be able to enjoy better golf and tennis at Washington’s country clubs than he could at Manila’s.

* Another brother, Federico, the youngest, is a symphony orchestra conductor and composer (Paul Gauguin).