AUSTRALIA'S. PART IN THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 231, 24 June 1919, Page 6

AUSTRALIA'S. PART IN THE WAR

-4 rQUEENSLAND PREM lER'S VIEW OP IT Fremantle, June £ "I found that it admitted on all sides that the Australian soldiers acquitted themselves magnificently, and they had no superiors and few equals," said. Mr. T. P. Ryan (Premier of Queensland), who is returning by the Kaiser-i-Hind. "I am inclined to think very feTr Australians realise what Australia has done in the war. -Taking into consideration the war effort of the Allies as a whole, Australia has supplied men and money out of all proportion to her population and resources. It is somewhat startling to contemplate ilhat with a population of about 5,000,000 we have more dead and disabled than Belgium herself, with a population of 8,000,000, in the very centre of tho war area. Canada, with a population of 8,000,000, and the great United States, with a population of 100,000,000, have each had casualties less than we 'have. ■ It was a sacrifice which will redound to the credit 'of the men who fought and died for freedom ■ but still, why was Australia called upon to do more than her share in the struggle? She has 'had more than her share of sorrow--ing mothers, wives, and sisters. "Canada never had more than four divisions in the field. I heard it explained by those having knowledge of the matter that it was considered a better policy to have that number in the field and keep a'large number at home to provide munitions and material/the payment for which also compensated to some extent for the Canadian war expenditure. Australia, on the other hand, with her much smaller population, had five divisions in France and nearly two divisions in Palestine. . "From a money point of view Australia has expended ,£132,000,000 more thanshe would have done on the Canadian basis. Australia's 3,000,000 of people have Spent ; while Canada's 8,000,000 of peoplo have spent only .£255,000,000—and, in addition to this, Canada has the compensation of having received many millions, of pounds for munitions and material. ' . - "Slandered Australia." "Under the voluntary system Australia has indeed done more than her share in men and money; but what would the position,have been if conscription had been carried in 1916 and there had been an additional drain of 16,500 men per month-, as proposed? A White Australia, indeed! I shall never understand what induced the Australian. Government to make it a crinm to tell the truth as to the number of Australians in the field, or why /they slandered Australia by clatnouring that Australia had not doila enough, and that it was the only slacker nation in the world. I do not know what arrangements are likely to be ( made with regard to Australia's claim for indemnity. Unfortunately her gallant dead, of course, cannot be replaced, nor her broken bodies restored.' The least Australia, can expect, however, is thaWrtfore any indemnity' is paid to other participants in (he Allied cause Australia should be paid the' i£132,000,000 she has spent above her proportion, and also the extra pension list which she has." Pacijic Problems, v--1 Dealing with tho Peace Conference, Mr. Ryan said that the Australian delegates appear to have stood for the carrying out of the treaty made during the war which gave Japan control of the Caroline and Marshall Islands, and the remarkable position presented itself of the Australian and Japanese delegates standing together against the views and interests of the .United States. "I am going by the press Teport," said Mr. Ryan, "and I am quite sure it would have been much more satisfactory to An?, tralia to have the whole of tlio Pacific Islands under international control with mandatories than that a powerful nation like Japan should have been given absolute control of islands which constitute the outer frontier of defence-for Australia in 1 the Pacific, and are within striking distance also <tf an important United' States possession, and where n naval base could be established. "The interests of the United States and Australia in the Pacihc are identical. 'Both countries are natural allies, peopled by the same ract., and actuated by a desire for self-protection in thePacific. The son 3of Australia join hands with the sons of tho United States, and. look to each other to prevent tiny Power being allowed ,to get such an unfettered hold on important bases fri the Pacific as may become a real menace to them both, and necessitate the expenditure of millions of money' b,T America and Australia taking counter measures for their defence."