Washington, Nov. 26.
Officials here yesterday' described the meeting in Manila between Mr. Francis B. Sayre, U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippines, Admiral Thomas H. Hart, Commander in Chief of the Asiatic Fleet, and Mr. Clarence E Gauss, U.S. Consul-General at Shanghai, as the routine annual consultation of leaders of Far Eastern forces.
They did not attempt to minimize the importance of the extraordinary Asiatic conditions which are a background of the gatherings, however. The chief of the United States Asiatic military force also usually participate ed, officials said.
They indicated that consultation at such gatherings normally comprised the exchange of information for the useful synchronization of diverse activities, They admitted that many new circumstances are prevalent in the Far East, but declined to comment specifically, The net impression left among observers here was that the meeting would undoubtedly be of considerable importance, although markedly less that, more extreme accounts had purported.
They commented that the final policies would ultimately be determined in the United States largely by the people and their representatives in Congress and partly by the President. Therefore they said, a gathering such as at Manila, is at most, advisory or for the purpose of coordination for the fulfillment of policies formulated here.
Unofficial comment said that the meeting would serve at least as a reminder that the United States has extensive interests in the Far East, which are widely influenced directly by the disturbances caused by double war, time conditions. They also showed the importance of Manila as a centre of America's far-flung interests' in Asia, including considerable armed establishments, they said.
It was believed here that the meeting would be the first opportunity for Admiral Hart and Mr, Gauss to confer with Int, Sayre since the Commissioner assumed his duties at Manila, It was believed the meeting would touch all aspects of United States interests, including relations with Japan, the Netherlands Indies, and would also touch on United States interests in China in view of- the projected new Chinese Government.
It was assumed the conference. reports. would be used here in connection with the United States and. Japan's acute trade pact situation a in connection with national defence projects—United Press,
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