(note the conclusion of the entry is written at the bottom of the previous day’s page)
At Baguio.
Review for the President.
Incident Marching Valdes coming to the stands. Also the idiot Roxas and two others.
After review we went to the reception & tea.
Pres Q in speaking of MacA said “I have been fooled. I am sorry I did not consult you at the beginning. MacA has been bluffing all along. About his interview w Romulo on his birthday. That may be alright w Romulo but I wonder MacA ever thought that there are officers in our own army and in his who could criticize that interview.” I laughed and said the interview was all propaganda and had no value.
Pres Q said that MacA talks about great things but in reality they do not provide the defense we are looking for.
He spoke about building a real mil. academy and that we must definitely get the site now. He will give 3 million pesos to start with.
My estimate is as follows: When the army budget was reduced nothing was said of the use of the money saved. The mil. academy was not mentioned. Everybody in the Gen. Staff and Sec. S. thought the money would go to the development of Quezon City. Then the papers broadcasted criticism of the use of the excise tax for which Vargas made a weak explanation. The US Congress criticized also and Mike E had to defend the expenditure.
Pres. R probably raised hell for this extravaganza & for the neglect of the national defense and now Pres Q has to defend himself by saying that he did not cut the Nat. Def. money as the savings are to be used for a military academy. This is clever.