CONTROL OF PACIFIC

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 223, 9 October 1940, Page 8

CONTROL OF PACIFIC

AMERICA'S VITAL INTEREST (By Aitcliel) The recent announcement by the Japanese Premier, Prince Korioye, that if the United States enters the European war or insists on the preservation of the status quo in the Pacific, Japan will be compelled to fight and the retort by Colonel Frank Knox, United States Secretary of the Navy, who said: "Should the fight be forced upon us, we are ready,"' demonstrates more than anything else that the interests of Britain and America) are parallel, and that it is control of the Pacific with its attendant control of the rich resources of the Netherlands East; Indies, as much as other considerations, which is forcing Japan to renew its violent anti-Ameri-can outbursts in what appeiarsf to be another bluff. But Prince Konoyc's speech, report ed on Monday, had a particular interest for me. During the week-end, while going through some papers, f happened upon a letter from Captain W. J. Lyon,Jsember of Parliament for and at present overseas with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and written shoitly after the committee, of which lie was a member, had reviewed tlie defence situation in New Zealand. Some Prophecies. Early in July of last year, when war, though not considered an absolute impossibility, was far from the minds of most people, Captain Lyon was reported to liave said, while discussing defence matters in the House, that a force of 250,000 men would be required to attempt the invasion of this country with any chance of success. I pointed put in an atricle in reply that Japan was the only major Power likely to be interested in the .possibilities of the invasion of New Zealand, and that was based only on geographical grounds. It was elementary reasoning to argue that Japan would not attempt expansion in this direction unless European affairs necessitated the retention of

the Royal Navy in Home waters, or, in other words, if Britain and Germany were at war with the possibility of Italy joining the Nazis and thus making for even a w r ider distribution of the Royal Navy's effective strength. Summarised, Japan could not consider southward expansion unless she had complete control of the Pacific. In that event; I added, a force of 250,000 would not be necessary; a fifth of the number could be very dangerous. American Concern. In view of present conditions it would not be advisable to publish the whole of Captain Lyon's reply, and instead, I will quote one paragraph: "The one satisfactory feature is that the world to-day carmot exist without oil and rubber and the whole of America's rubn ber requirements come from the Dutch East Indies and she cannot afford to allow Japan to dom inate the countries in the Pacific without industrial and commercial stagnation." It will thus be seen, that America has a definite interest in the maintenance of the status quo in the Pacific and Prince Konoye's remark that negotiations between Japan and the East Indies were progressing smoothly and satisfactory results could be expected was sufficient indication of Japan's attitude and the very certain American re-action, without the Premier's fuither statement: "I fling this challenge to Arne rica. If she blindly and stubbornly sticks to the Pacific status quo we will fight for it." America has no alternative but to 'blindly and stubbornly stick to it,' and sticking to it means New Zealand's security. America cannot afford to see Japanese control of the Pacific.