ANQLO-JAPANESE TREATY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1189, 26 July 1911, Page 7

ANQLO-JAPANESE TREATY.

AUSTRALIA NOT CONSULTED. Bj Teleeraph—Pro33 Associatlon-OoujTlchl Melbourne, July 25. Mr. W.. M: Hughes, Acting-Federal Premier, referring to the Anglo-Japanese Treaty, declared that the statement that the. Dominion Governments. had been consulted iu the matter was untrue, as far as the Commonwealth was concerned. It had not even been officially notified of the fact.

IF THE PACIFIC STRUGGLE COMES? Mr. Hughes was reported in the Australian papers last week to have said that he thought the renewal of the AngloJapaneso treaty had an important bearing upon the future defence policy of Australia.

"No single factor in tho defence problem of not only Australia, but the Empire, was so significant," ho said, "as tho Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This point needs to lie driven home to the Australian, who is apt to take these things very much for granted. Tho prospects of a renewal of the treaty, which in ordinary circumstances would havo terminated in 1915, wcro extremely doubtful. It was freely stated in well-informed circles that Japan had nothing further to gain from an alliance with Great Britain, and that in any event the price of a renewal would bo some important concessions as to tho status of Japanese subjects throughout tho Empire. That, of course, would have involved the negatio nin form, if not in principle, of oui White Australia policy. This was the Scylla upon which they wero rushing. On the otherhand, since thero cnuld bo no surrender iu this matter, so far as I know the temper of fho Australinn people, thero could be no escape from tho Charybdis of tho non-renewal of the treaty. "Now. of course, thoso dangers have'been avoided.

"How much tho treaty moans in its amended form is another matter, perforated as it is now with tho clauses guarding arbitration treaties. At present ono can hardly define its sphere of real usefulness. It is very evident, for instance! that, the Anglo-American Arbitration Treaty soes right to tho very roots of tho AiiglohJiipaneso Treaty. Thero is, on the face of it, no more likely centre of disturbance between Japan and another Pomct, then tho struggle for mastery in Hip I'acific with the United States. Happily, this may l>o averted or removed altogether, but should it arise, what is to be the position of Great Britain? Whom is sho going to assist? She can't assist Japan, and sho will have no niiarrol at nil with America, even to submit to arbi-

tration. We must hope that the scopo of these arbitration treaties will be extended, and cover other countries, Glorniiiny, for instance. Ono cannot, follow this out further now, but it opens up a very wido avenue for speculation.' Ono thing we may congratulate ourselves on, that the treaty has l>een renewed, pivinpr us breathing time, and being, in spito of everything, distinctly a step forward in tho maintenance of peace."