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May 20, 1945 Sunday

The memorandum was put it final form. As we had no typewriter Minister Paez wrote it with his very fine handwriting. Those who signed the memorandum are the original fourteen, Don Vicente Madrigal and Governors Aquino and Urquico. Instead of giving the contents of the memorandum, I shall attach hereto a copy of it. In this connection, it should be stated that Justice Yulo believed that the document should have been stronger. For instance, the use of the phrase, “which should not be overlooked.” Yulo did not insist on his suggested changes because, as it will be remembered, there was a dissenting opinion (Minister Sison) on the question of whether we should submit a memorandum or not. I was strongly in favor of presenting such a memorandum to both President Osmeña and General MacArthur. I argued that our silence might be interpreted as an admission of guilt and later they may allege that they took no definite action because they thought that we had willingly acquiesced and seemed to be resigned to our situation.

All of us in the community have to work. We were divided into groups and each group takes care of the cleaning of the whole premises for the day. This day is a very significant one. The cleaning was being done by a group of five persons among whom were Capitalist Madrigal and Communist Taruc. I wish we had been able to take a picture when the two were working side by side—Madrigal with a broom sweeping and Taruc following him around with the waste receptacle to put the trash in. It is symbolic of an ideal situation. It is not utopian to believe that capital and labor can be together. This confinement might yet result in a solution of the serious problem of relationship between capital and labor. Capitalists can continue but they must give an equitable participation to laborers, participation which will enable the workers to own land, build a small but cozy house, and have enough money to buy sufficient food, educate their children, and have a little amusement such as seeing moving pictures. With such an arrangement there, can be no labor troubles. Radicalism of the pernicious type cannot develop.

I am probably the most athletic among the group. I do not mind manual labor. In fact, when I learned that one of the work to be done was the grounds along the fence of the stockade, even before we were ordered to do so, I started moving the stones by hurling stones over the fence in the manner of a shot put. In that way, I got my work done and got my exercise. I run daily around the stockade grounds for an hour and shadow box for a few minutes.

This day is the beginning of poetical activity in the community. Don Claro M. Recto, a known poet, wrote a poem concerning each of the members of the original party of fourteen with the addition of Don Vicente Madrigal. The poem is so good and interesting that instead of describing it, I prefer to attach hereto a copy of the poem.