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March 1-2, 1936

Traffic congestion during Carnival intolerable now over, thank God! Besides, cracks are reported in the north pier of the Ayala bridge, so heavy trucks arc banned from there–other people, possibly, are scared away–a great blessing.

The biggest external changes in Manila during my fifteen years of absence are: (1) the sanitation–both Americans and Filipinos are much more healthy–the water is safe to drink now, and food is safe almost everywhere. Only tropic anemia now threatens us; and (2) the lovely flowers now on sale at all the markets. I believed Governor General Davis turned Manila into the garden it now is.

Mrs. Gaches told me at our dinner that her butler had put his high wages into supporting his two brothers through college–signs of a topsy-turvy world–or perhaps rather of the Filipino determination to be ilustrado. As only a Small proportion of these “educated” men can be employed in the Government or in clerical positions elsewhere, this accumulation of young people who won’t work with their hands only increases dangerously the general discontent.