February 8, 1950

Foster Knight returned last night from an inspection trip with Pio Pedrosa, the Secretary of Finance. It was nice to see him again; odd how our paths have crossed after all these years. I recall — many years ago — his stay in the German Hospital in
Shanghai, where he was found to have T.B. Then lost touch for years until we met in Washington during the war. Next, we met in Chungking. Last summer, when E.C.A. had to evacuate Korea, Foster Knight came to Tokyo, when I saw a lot of him. Now, we are in the same office — in Manila. Lunch with Representative Allas, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee; he asked me my frank opinion of the Philippines Customs, and I told him — laying stress on the necessity of (1) eliminating political influence from the Service and (2) raising the pay of the staff to a living wage. Called on Pio Pedrosa, Secretary of Finance. Preached my little sermon, with which he professed complete agreement. He showed me two letters on his desk from the Speaker of the House requesting him to intervene in favor of two of the 180 Customs employees recently discharged. Pedrosa asked me to stay three months in Manila. I said “no can do”, but handed him a draft letter for his signature requesting E.C.A. to appoint Hugh Bradley as Customs Consultant here. Pedrosa agreed to send it in. Had Gil and Virginia “Gina”) Stuart, Ian and Daphne Bradley, and Foster Knight to dinner here. Ian impresses me as very “vital”, honest and good young man, with plenty of steel underneath a very pleasant and sincere manner. […]