THE NEW PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 59, 3 December 1919, Page 8

THE NEW PACIFIC

"WAKE UP AUSTRALIA"

LESSONS FROM OUR NEIGHBOURS

The manifestation of intense activity which is to be looked for in .shipping and commerce in the Pacific very soon is to be. deduced from existing facts, writes Mr. John Sandes to tho Sydney "Telegraph" from London. He continues: Trade will flow from tho Asian and Australasian side of the ocean not only to Canada and tho United Stales and the Central American and South American Republics, but tihrough the Panama Canal to Europe. Tt has been shown that European manufacturers are already approhensiyo on account of the flood of goods reaching Europe from Japan, and conversely there must be a returning stream of trade to Asia and Australasia, not only from Canada and the United States, and to some extent from tho Latin American Republics, but also from Europe, as soon as the European nations have recovered^ sufficiently from tho war to resume till pi r quest for markets where they must sell their goods in order to find employment and wag;« for their people. Fiscal policies may accelerate or reduce the flow of imports in particular regions, but, broadly _ speaking, no nation can be a seller without also being a buyer. Hence as (he productivity increases and the huge mercantile fipete which are now being built come into existence for carrying tho trans-Pacific trade lihere will be two great streams of commarce, one going ea6t and one goins west across the largest ocran in the world, which has up to the present time been almost a solitilde ever since Balboa first gazed upon it "silent upon a peak of Darrien." Commerce as a Political Factor. But most of the great nations which have goods to sell—whether raw material or manufactured articles—already own territorial possessions in the Pacific, and are consequently interested politically, as well as commercially, in that region. Political rivalries and ambitions cannot be measured by statistics, as, rivalries in trade can be measured, but tlfev nre 110110 the less real and none the less k;en. The national interests of a country may even be interpreted, us its tradinsr interests, and since trade is th? life blood of most, modern nations it will be seen that when commercial rivalries are brought close to the doors of Australia, which lias hitliorlo lain snug and safe in its isolation, political rivalries must necessarily follow. The policy pursued by Germany, for instance, when she owned the Marshall Islands and when the Germans trading company called the J.aluit Gosellschaft, supported by its Government, imposed prohibitive dues on an Australian steamship company, driving that company to appeal to tho British Government for protection, showed how easily political friction may ari.se out of commercial competition. Happily for Australia, the Germans 110 longer own any possessions in the Pacific. Their disappearance from New Guinea, the Solomons, and Samoa removes from the vicinity of Australia a trading community which invariably made its commercial activities subserve national ends.

Racial Equality, There is no reason at present why intern,itionat commerce in the Pacific should not mirsue its course peacefully, nut there is 0110 cloud on the horizon which may presage coming trouble, anil that is Japan's claim to the removal of certain restrictions which have been iniuosed upon her nationals by the Governments and people of other territories abutt.ine on the Pacific. Japan's demand for "racial equality" was put forward insistently at the Paris Conference. and at one time a threat was made that her representatives would not siEii the Peace Treaty containing the convention for the establishment of a League of Nations unless the demands were conceded. The threat was withdrawn, and the Japanese delegates sigiir ed the Treaty, although their demand was not mauled by the Supreme Council. At the same time the question still remains unsettled, and until some acceptable formula is found which will satisfy the national pride and natural suscentibilities of Japan, while at the 6,11110 time conserving the national interests of other nations inhabiting lands that have Pacific seaboards, the danger will not finally disappear,

White Australia. I have talked with several highly-plac-ed British officials both in Paris iintf in London on the subject of the Commonwealth's White Australia poliev, ami I am bound (o say that I found very little enthusiasm for it in any of them. That, perhaps, is only to be expected. Wherever one noes in London one hears people expressing pride that the British nat.iou recognises no bar of race or creeii— that Britain does not "draw tho colour line." It is a commonplace of political after-dinner speaking. I heard Lord Buniham emphasising the same boast only a few cays ago at a lunch lliat ho gave at the Savoy Hotel to meet tho member; of the Indian Press delegation. who are in London in connection with Mr. Montagu's Government of India Bui. Considering that Britain's Indian Lrnuire alone contains 200,000,000 of nonwhites. and that up to the present Britain has treated Ihe non-whites, under her flaewith such firmness, tact, and consideration that, she lias had no serious trouble -with Hiem for more tluin fifty rears, it would be strange, indeeo, if British administrators were to adopt any other attitude. The British have no experience of pressure from the non-whito races. Living securely in their islands, far removed from all the lands inhabited bv non-white peoples, and guarded bv tho sliiclc! of an invincible navv, they havo been able for generations to engage in the mission of sympathising with and nolift'n.g the non-white races of the,world. The British Isles are too small, too chilly, too crowded, and too remote from the swarming millions of the Far East ever to offer those millions the least tranptnt : on to migrate ihitlier. The British people reolise that fact in their hearts, and, consequently, they have 110 more sympathy with the White Australia policy than tho Americans of I hi' V>:stern ftate.s liatl with a White California!! policq a few years ago.

A Conciliatory Move. Tho appointment, of Mr. Shidehara, of the Foreign Political Department, Tokio, to lopiace Viscount Ishli ns Japanese Ambassidor at Washington is regarded ns inaugurating a genu ne conciliatory movement. Mr. Shidehara is a statesman of wido experience, who is much liked mul respected at Washington. Then again both the external and internal situations in Japan are swell as to d stowage a pol'ey of adventure in -jupport of tho demand for the removal of alleged racial inemialities. High prices in Japan have produced the same unrest among the workers as in other countries, and the Japanese Government will probably be (.'ompeiled in the not remote future to make very large concessions to labour, under threat of revolutionary outbreaks. I'i.vtwnally the Japanese Government has it.s hands full with Korea and with its

"special jK>sitiou" in China. While its reported intention ly retire from the Shaiigtung Peninsula and to bond Hint cs-Germnn territory back to China will improve its relations net only with China, but also with the _ United States. Japan has a great political lield to til in Southern Manchuria, and in addition *he. may vol have to undertake serious miliInry operations nyrniii't the lMshevisls. If is reported thai the ant'-jiiilshovNt Kwsians have asked Jajrui for a-vishince, and have ottVrcd t;> pay ior : t l:y c -flinvr to he' 1 the northern half of the Island nl 1 Svighalien— the half which is still lius. siMi-aml also'llie terribly of Oiissuury, 0" Mi" mainland. Japan's external commitments and also her internal political situation must previde steadying influences, lint there is no gainsaying the fael that she has emerged from tli" war with an enormous accession of wealth, much of which has been nut into increased naval and military armaments, while the balance iv invested in a phenomenal exiiansimi of her manufacturing and shipping industries, with which, supported by her ample supplies of cheap labour and her proximily l'i Ihe "Abounded natural resources of China, she is plainly aiming to secure a predominant influence in the I'aciiic.

"Keen up with the Procession." Apart altogether from the poli(.ieal side

it would seem, therefore, to be .imperative) that Uio Commonwealth should set to work !a earnest to develop the huge territory under its control. When this great outburst o£ shipping and comnxsreial activity—which is an infallible index of producing activity—is obsorvable in all tho other countries having frontages to the Pacific, Australia cannot afford to lag behind. She must prodnco nnd she must market her surplus products which aro in excess of her homo requirements in order to moot tho burden of liabilities left to her by the war. She must "keep up with tho procession." Political theories -nnnot take the nlaceof productivity. A,j Pr. Eaton, of Canada, observes in a "wake-un England" letter to "The Times""There is no substitute for sweat." Prom this brief survey it will bo realised Hint there most be an outburst of producing and mercantile activity in Australia to correspond with that of thfr nations inhabiting tlm lands on lx>th sides of tho Pacific. Otherwise Australia will bo submerged economically. Population and capital are tho two chief essentials to the full development of her unrivalled resources. The first will he easier to get than tho sceoud, 'but in looking at Ilia map and at the shipping statistics it is not difficult to realise that both population and eanital must be obtained if the magnificently-dowered young nation is to maintain her place in the world.