The Phi Alpha Gamma, a fraternity of Filipino university graduates of the United States, celebrated Rizal Day, last December 28, at the International House. This was the first showing of the fraternity since its organization in 1933.

To the graduates in Chicago, the celebration represented an attempt on their past to show, to the Filipino public, that they are getting organized to honor events of national importance. There were about two hundred couples present at the affair. Rev. Laxamana of the Filipino Community Center, started the affair with a prayer, at the banquet table, which came as an introduction or as a solemn hour tribute to the great martyr.

In showing reverence and respect, Mr. Basilio De Vera, president of the fraternity, lectured on Rizal. He praised Rizal, as a philosopher, and 2elaborated the great hero's statement: "If the people must have freedom and self-government, they must be worthy of it, and if the people must stand as a nation, they must be united."

"This", said the speaker, was the direct answer of Rizal to the Spanish colonial policy, "keep them in ignorance and keep them divided." To support his statement, he cited Rizal's call for organization and service contained in the La Liga Filipina, (Philippine League) while he mentioned Rizal's other works as mainly to denounce tyranny by direct appeal and insinuation. "Both," he said, "indicated the ramifying elements of solid unity, and in the advent of that restless episode, they stimulated action."

In his conclusion he said that all of Rizal's philosophy sprang from his instinctive love of country and hatred of oppression; from rationalism that the rights of oppressed people must be earned by themselves instead of submitting too much to the Christian creed of "service and suffering" and too much respect for law; and from experiences abroad where he saw justice, liberty, and equality and the triumphant cause of nationalism preached with success.

Dr. Ernest B. Price of the International House also spoke on the problems confronting the Philippine public. He gave optimistic views in this regard, and was confident that the Filipino graduates of America will play their part well in the solution of these problems.

The celebration, as sponsored by the fraternity, was social, but its purpose was to inculcate reverence for the great martyr whose death has accelerated our thoughts for freedom. The affair was a tribute to his sound and incorruptable human principles.