HANDS AROUND THE PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 262, 24 July 1918, Page 5

HANDS AROUND THE PACIFIC

■ -n _ /.FRIENDSHIP AND COMMERCE.. As.briefly cabled n few days ago a meeting was held in Sydney for the purpose ot forming a branch of tho "Hands Around the Pacific Club," to link up with the clubs already in existence in ban Francisco, Seattle, and Honolulu. iho Lord, Mayor, Alderman Joynston Smith, who called tho meeting, said lie had already been in cable communication with tho head office of tho .club in Hawaii, and he read' to tho meeting tho ■following cablegram ho had received from Mr. M'Cai'thy, Governor of Hawaii :— "Brotherly congratulations, formation Pan-Pacific Club; just elected Wilson and Hughes presidents of the Pan-Pacific Union/' 'Die 'Lord Mayor further stated that as a result of n conversation with several gentlemen present he had thought tho time opportune for calling a meeting with a view to bringing into existence a -"Hands Around the Pacific Club." "Ot the many lessons of the war," ho said, "there is none moro important than the necessity to understand the f-eoples of other countries as- well as our own. A nation likn an individual can be too self-centred. Just as the individual owes a duty to other members of the community, so a nntion owes a duty to the community of.nations. We ara'here today to think internationally, particularly so regarding our neighbours an-ound th'e Pacific. The very name of tho ocean that laves our shores should be an iuCGiitivo to this. There is not in or around the Pacific at present a nation with any unfriendly feelings towards another. On the contrary, perfect amity Dx'pts. The international mischief-maker, with his self-seeking and abominable intrigue, hns been driven out, let us hopo never to return. The Pacific must bs lielij by nations that can trust one another. Wo want no other kind. It is for us to say that thero is no room far any other kind, and w<! say it hero and now.

"It is for tho development of friendly intercourse on tho lines that I havo indicated that this club is being brought 'into existence. Australia's interests in (he Pacific are vaet and daily increasing. Tho Pacific is the field of her commercial future. 1 Sho has interests in common with all the Pacific seaports. She can servo and bo served by every one of them, Mid it is for each' to do Uβ part in making the great ocean routes highways of peace'and prosperity. The war has revealed oiiir friends to us, and these friendships aro too valuable to bo forgotten. When representatives of the great national families visit our State they must bo made welcome. Already the 'Hands Around the Pacific' movement is in being nt San Francisco, Seattle, and Honolulu. Seattle to-day "is building Australia's wooden licet to help carry out produce which ,will replenish the granaries America, is emptying to feed tho Allied armies in the grim European struggle. The formation of this club will therefore link up four great commercial centres on the Pacific shores. Others will follow as the advantages of this movement aro fully realised."

A number of ' resolutions adopted, Uie most important being;— "That this meeting resolves that a club bo formed, to be called tho 'Hands Around the Pacific Club.' tho basis of the club's constitution to be framed with a view of cementing thu British, French, American, and Allied interests in tho Pacific, both internationally, socially and commercially."