The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1914. AN IMPERIAL COLOUR PROBLEM
One of the most diflicuH problems with which the statesmen of the British Empire are at present renfnutted is the (jucstio.ii 'of. Asiatic im-mi-grafcion. A month <3se two .ago disturbances aiming the Hindu population of Natal caused a great deal of trouble ancl anxiety, and n.t tfaj pre-sent-moment the 'atteWJtetl rftVasititt of Canada by a party of "sTa Hinchis on the Komaga'a Maw, has given rise to a very romp.lkated situation. The white population of British Columbia are determined to prevent the strangers from. landing, but 3s Che, trip has been- ran do far the purpose of testing the • riuhts of' ,ihe in habitants .of British India to enter any of the other parts of the umpire, the passengers on board the Komapai.a Maru arc not going to ki seßiiiaclc without a struggle, and ibey have appealed to the Canadian {.'tmrts for a legal pronouncement on the points involved. The whole (inrslkm of Asiatic immigration "has thift been forced to the front. and «kitev.T the decision of the Courts Way bf;, it lias become quite Syi'dKiii that thft exist: ing state of affairs cannot be all'Wod to continue indefinitely. Tne, time has arrived fqir fraining srnne. c'on.sistent line, of poliey a p pin-able to the whole Empire. 1 his can. only be done. by means of; aji agreement between .the various parties cfmecrued. The next Imperial C't/flfaronfie, will probably have "to reconsider the whole matter with ihe object of devising a plan of a#ioii will protect any of .the Dominions from being overrun by Asiatics again?!, its will, without wounding the rational pride of His JtlAdfestfrS .itindv sub' jcets or embarrassing- _ the Imperial authorities in their diilieu.lt task of governing the great Jndia.fl I'itapire. Whatever arriagefiient may ultimately be arrived at is Jvmad to take the form of a eotrtproiflif®. There must be. give-and-take fa both sides; but if tiie probtett is approached in a spinl of reasonableness and mutual, forbearance, itought not to be impossible to discover a workable' scheme which wonicl prove acceptable to the Imperial Government, the Overseas Doiniji-1 ions, and the jicopjc of India., 1 The present inutiign.it ion rfrisis in j Canada is being warched with great I interest by the ofchei; solf-goverrtiitg j Dominions., Though die Asiatic j problem cannot bo said, to have! reached an acme stage in New 7.cm-} land, there has certainly been a i on- j siderable influx of Hiftdns during I the last year or two, arid there is a J strong feeling abroiid tfelt eifcetive steps should be taken to prevent them from coming hint: In such numbers as to cause' trouble },n the labour market, by unfair eMiijseiiitimi with our own Workers.. This matter is now receiving the 'attention of the Government-, aiid it is. proposed to make certaiii alterations in tlte law, with 'the object of raising higher the bafrier' against (.lie in» flux of roloumT rates, This proposal will no AwM iiißct with gce- [ oral approval through mi fc th; Do-
minion, but it is necessary t« proceed very cautiously, always hearing' in mind* that New Zealand ba-s a doty to the Empire as well as to Ita'setf, So doubt tlic _ Canadian. Government fully recognises tbe Ini-: perial as well as the local pjssp.o.ct. of the question, st-iicl is anxious .to. avoid tnitteasswy friction. The' problem is roost acute in British Oc-' hiltiijifl, and the Premie.;' ol Chat Province puts the case with'fairaess ; and moderation when lie states that it is villi rai feeling of hostility towards the Asiatic races Hi a t ilte firi • ■ t:ish Columbians are taking a stand, but they realise that Western anil Oriental civilisation arc so different fi';.t.i> there never coukl be any aumlfiauiatioa of the two, no? could the Asiatics ecflfo'i'Ui'to JSttropeaa ways and ideals. Ho contends that- "to admit Orientals in largo mimbers would meap, in the end ihe cxlim;- ; tion of tha white peoples." Mature has put certain barriers hci.wc.cn the European and tho Asiatic which ■ cannot be ignored by stateHjcn. The Ilindus anvi other Asiatic peoples differ from us in eolout-, in iijaiMfcrs and customs, in religion., in social ideals, and in standards of living. They have many fine cjualitis's, and it ilhbecoiri.es any Britisher to speak of them with bitterness tsr disrespect. Nevertheless the European and the Asiatic will not mix, and the difficulties of the colour :*H>obfem ift the United States are a sanding ivarijing to othe.r countries mot to perinit a similar state of affairs to grow up in their midst-
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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2191, 2 July 1914, Page 6
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758The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 2, 1914. AN IMPERIAL COLOUR PROBLEM Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2191, 2 July 1914, Page 6
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