Britain Must State Its Antarctic Case

Chronicle (Levin), 17 August 1948, Page 5

Britain Must State Its Antarctic Case

LONDON, August 16. Piscussing f'uture British poliev in the Antarctic, a special correspondent of The Lcononiist says niany people are begiiniing to doubt whether Britain ean alford the comedy of diploniatic manners playcd out each winter against the iuiprobable Iwkground of the Antarctic. Thev doubt whether Britain ean alford a spectade which was elearly prodigal of prestige and presumably also of hani eash. "The British Governnient has verb allv inainLained its sovereignt v over th Antarctic dependein-ies and put British prcstigo in Ihe balance yet it has proveu it-elf unwilling to de'fend that sovcreigntv as it would presuntablv in any any other British territory," sa.vs the •■orrespondent. "Surely it is liine te .■nd this "ontradictory policy. Eithei i'.ritain n.ust claini its sovcreignty is n \ iolable on the grounds that its ietters patent for the area were uever dispiited, retnove intruders and rocover its lost prestige at least at the tenipor•iiv oi parl of our meat ration, or -wallowing its pride; .Britain must try t ' i reach an agreemerit witli the - othet • laiinants.' "This would allow each to keep those an-as to which they have rearsonable -■Jaiin by virtue of occupation aft'd ada inist ration (and Argentina's claim to I.'.urie Island is quile a strong on-e) v! ;!e the rest of the area could be put aho sonie form of jonit trusteeship. iirilain would thus keep whaling and «-a ling centres, the source of immedii- health, and be fble to ensure the ■ -lopnient of these industries tui i aiassed by violent nationalist restric : it.tiv. At' the sai»e-tiui" there is nt ".ison wliv a reduced sovereignfy ■-.'•■Mild hainper seientilic work. "