The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1914. THE FIRST LAW OF LIFE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2149, 15 May 1914, Page 6

The Dominion. FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1914. THE FIRST LAW OF LIFE.

Why are we arming? I'his quest-ion was answered in a eonvijicing way by Slit lan Hamilton ia e, striking speech delivered ' at Aueklantl oil Wednesday, which is well werthy of the careful attention of those people who think that our defence system is a piece of wasteful extravagance. Such people still exist, just as there are people who still believe that the world is flat, notwithstanding all that science has to say to tlio contrary. There are others who admit that some precautions may be necessary, but who are so short-sighted that they will not realise the need of adequate defence measures until the enemy is actually at the door—and then it would be too la to. Of course the ultimate justification of being armed is to be found in tho fact'that self-preservation is the .tirst l« w of life, and if a nation values its existsnee it is its obvious duty to be in a position to defend itseft. \\~t> have to take tho world as we find it.

and any country which lias anything worth protecting takes a great risk if,it chooses to stand defonceiw in the .midst of a world armed to the rfcth. We are faced with the fact that the Pacific is likely to be- ono of the great storm centres of the future. As Sin lan Hamilton points out, the Pacific is the meeting ground not of nations, but of continents, and the great question as to whether Europeans or Asiatics are gola* to guide the destinies of this" planet may have to be decided in this part of the world. This is not scare talk it is simply a very reasonable conclusion to draw from the trend of recent events aad from movements which are going on before our eyes, iven if all the nations of Europe bound themselves together ia , -one great alliance, so that tho fear of a European war Would be for ever banished, they would not; dare to disband their armies and throw their warships oft the scrap heap. They would have to remember tlw teeming population of Asia, arid the millions of Africans who decline to die out in order to raako room for the white roan. There is no need to draw sensational pictures of the yellow peril or to believe- wild ramotirs of seen* preparations in China or Japan for a sudden descent upon Australasia It is very improbable that any such ; designs are being deliberately entertained, and our Alliance with Japan is undoubtedly .a valuable safeguard just but from time to time In toe world's history great and tincontrollaWe race movements occur. Pei;haps over-growth of nepulation at home pushes a section of the people ■ over the borders, and when one"'of these movements gets a start it cannot he stayed by treaties or agreements, or anything &f that kittd, but it- sweeps irresistibly forward like a great ware. There,are significant happenings in different parts of .Africa at the present time, wbilis in Asia- even more wonderful developments are taking plaqe. Japan has suddenly become a world power, and has already defeated a great Europoaa nation. China is in an extraordinary state of political and social unrest. _ Western civilisation is uiidcrnjimng those ancient customs aad religious beliefs which band men to their native .land, and is Winging about a widespread unscttieinent, ati 4 stirring events may happen in the world before a stable re-scitkment takes place. The tnodcvnissd Chinaman seen by Sir lm Hamilton callously scratching his name on' the sacred wall of tho Temple of Heaven itself is a striking illustration of the march of events. Movements of this sort do not proceed by leaps and bounds.' They press forward almost imperceptibly, and the world is gen-. orally in the midst of the crisis before it is aware of the danger. The British eoiwinirutios in this part of the. world are in the fcu'tim*. ate position of knowing the possi-' bilities ahead, and of having time, to take the necessary precautions to safeguard themselves. New Zealand toy seem a long way from the dan- i get zo»e, but it did not require Sib '. lan Hamilton to tell «s that Australia i& very close to it—a.nd we arc | close to Australia. In a timely article in the Nineteenth. Century, Major sStbtvart Mcsray ek : presses the .opinion that everything depends on the aesfc fifty. years. "In fifty prosperous years, 1750-1800, the population of China, where there are- no bachelors and no old maids, doubled itself; it may do so again during the noxfc'fifty yoars. Imagine 800,000,000 Chinamen to bo provided for!" Of course we are only dealing with possibilities, but they are possibilities which time may convert into- realities, and common sense tolls us thii in thesa days of peace and security we should make ready for the time when the British race may have to fight for its very existence. It is for this reason that we cafino* fee satisfied with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance as d> final solution of the of the defence of the Pacific, Major MuJmuy considers that nothing bint a sufficiently powerful Anglo-Saxon fleet based on Australia wjli ifteet the needs of the situation. "That fleet," he says, ''the dominions milsl provide, for their own sake, for the preservation of the white'inah's heritage and standard of life." On very similar grounds Sir tan HftSiJM» .appeals to the people- of Australia and New Zealand not to lose sight o£ the s-Dcessity for nreparhij* foi , defence. Things had been stirring for a long. period in Asia before the crossing of the Volga by the Huns precipitated the crisis which ended in the break-up of the .toman Empire. 1 Central Asia was at that time-j so a J modern historian tells us,'"the seat , of a human volcano, whose eruptions might at any time . . , cause : CGnvtilsiqns the effect of which it was .impossible to fotetell." Is there poing to be another Asiatie eruption aiiritig the twentieth century? lj\clicatiaiis seem to point to something of tho sort, and ordinary prudence '■■ ckmarids that we should be ready. ; This is whv, to auotc ifat Words of Sib laj? Hamilton oftee more, "we find practical and pr'osneroiia countries like Australia and New Jikaland earnestly engaged in furbishing up their armour of defence."