THE EASTERN MENACE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2203, 16 July 1914, Page 9

THE EASTERN MENACE

JAPAN'S SWARMINd MILLIONS

WATCHING AUSTRALIA

Every now and again comes a Teport t'rohi the mystery-veiled Northern, Territory (6{ Australia) conveying sinister references to tho "yellow threat"—that the swarming millions of tho East look with hungry'.eyes on the empty paradise, of Northern Queensland and that vast stretch of country between the Gulf of Carpentaria on the east and the West Australian coast-line on the south. Life is loose and cheap in that hinterland of civilisation, whero the •brown men and tlio yellow mingle with the whites from all over the world, and the knife and revolver play as ordinary a part in a man's equipment as does a ■fountain? pen'.with'a business man. A cold fear comes clamily out of the north, but is usually laughed aside—England Tules .the waves, etc. But those who .-know,'.do not laugh—it lias been born in, on them that the coming of tho brown man to Australia is "as sure as the sun rises.. Ho is there to-day- : thousands of him 1 /''..•' Mr. Walter J. P. Gaudin, at one time editor, of the Gisborue "Times;" , and who has been employed on the literary staffs, of the "Sydney Morning Herald" •and Brisbane "Courier," and was recently for eighteen months in Northern Queensland and the Territory,, has no doubts on the question. i "Comjng! Of course, they're coming! No one," he, says, "who has been whero I've, been and seen what I've seen could say .anything-else. "Why, empty Queensland, seven or eight times as big. as the wholo of tlio TJnited Kingdom, and four, times asfruitful, is there waiting for them, and they are swarming in. There is a poll-' tax of. £100 on the Japs., but it would be interesting to count heads and comparo 'the result with the poll-tax, rt--1 tiirns.y .The-Government and oyeryouo else knows that they are coming in. Tho Japs, comedown in the pearling fleets, and are, lauded anywhere they like along tlio coast,, from which theyvery quickly make their way to centres of civilisation'in Queensland; "•. '■?"'' V?-^:Whits Territory? I don't think the Territory is -a na-: tural abiding place for the white man. and I am sure it isn't for white: women so?what ; are they going to do—they're not doing anything to prevent the Jap. getting in- tho>pack door., /Why, in Cairns and Townsville', they have their own'banks,, publish their own papers, and pretty well run tho.whole show, and all the time their numbers,'are; in.creasing. Most of the Japs, are smart, well educated, and well dressed fellows —they are no 'miserable aliens, I can tell you? They think themselyes_every; bit as good as the white man, if not hotter;, they all speak good Eng'ish, and are the type that are going to push themselves to the front.:.. Tho average slow-going, good-natured; lazy Queens-' •lander is a fool to tho alert Jap., and he generally knows it. In Darwin, and wherever there is. any settlement in the North, there is the Jan., well'established." It is he, not the Chinese, we have to: fear. ? The. Waiting Menace, - > ' ''I believe that England is going to get'ono of the biggest; shocks she has' overbad one of these/days,'. Japan is only waiting until her present ally is weaken-ed-rprbbably 'by internal ,dissensioi;..or maybe.a rough-up with Germany'. -Then? • what will happen'' Three of foiir' battleships vrill;appear; off Sydney Heads, and , demand the. lifting of the . - poll-tax; Witbm 24 hours the poll-tax is 1 lifted, and whciirthrit Js:,j]pne?lh§}Japanese;.]vjli; .• swarm into, the ■wfin^ry. , .-nt'?ynu/De' : a peaceful invasion, with a ,big punch behind it. ";'•■:■ '?? ■ ... - ?..■;..,,??? ';'?. ' -."What'r. was /surprised to. see ;was the way in which the Japanese fraternised with the white women .in Tpwns.ville and Cairns, and other -North Queensland towns. It is all.very well for good people in these bracing latitudes to hold..up their hands-in horror, but.it is impossible to maintain a White Australia, ?.\ It is a pice sentiment,, but as far as North Queensland .is concerned it is only a sentiment."?' Fighting Ships Wanted., Mr. -.Gaudin said that imieh would probably depend on the nayaj-policy of the colonies_ as to the rate at which ■ the passive invasion jvbul'd proceed. It was?almost impossible to establish ;a'n efficient .patrol along such a farr-exteudr ed coast-line '-.as that of the north of Australia.- Still, something, might bo " done in that direction if Australia and New Zealand combined in building up a navy. Mr. Gaudin thinks that this;ques--tioivof naval'- policy deserves closer it-' terition and is; of greater importance to the future ownership of these coiin- - tries. He does' not think that the contribution policy advocated by Sir Joseph Ward is a wise'one. "We nrust," ho says, "have our own-ships, to be used in guarding our own coast-line?' ?