The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” THURSDAY, MARCH 24th, 1921. A BIG THREE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “The West Coast Times.” THURSDAY, MARCH 24th, 1921. A BIG THREE.

Tiie three great countries of the world just now engaging most public attention are Britain. America and Japan. This remarkable trio, so advanced in civilisation and in material development are strange to say, the subject ot chief thought as the possible if Hot probable centres-to create, or at all events participate in the next serious war. America ami Japan, at least, are feverishly expanding their defensive powers, particularly in regard to their navies, and that action is having its effect on the minds of the British who cannot' afford lo be left in the lurch, lire international relations of the three great nations referred to, affect the peace of the world. Britain and American have a common language and a racial intimacy which should make them as a unified English-speaking peoples, one in Inoad*- national aspirations. Britain and Japan have a common understanding one with tlijb other under treaty obligations which have been respected, and which have served in the past to cement a degree of unity which had obliterated evil racial and color antagonism. The Japanese stood to their compact in the time of danger and difficulty, and New Zealand as part of the British Empire has reason to be grateful to Japan for loyally keeping to t-h,, defensive pledge under the AngloJapaitese alliance when the war broke out. and but for the' fleet ol Japan, the Pacific would have been largely at the mercy of the preying German warships. Japan and America have for long had rSeVioits political differences arising out of racial and colour : ntngoi)ism and there is not much sign ot this spirit of opposition lieing appeased. In America the position as between the two ■■o'lntVies lias been aggravated i by recent legislation, while the uncertainty of political action as governed bv 1 the ruling President has been int *u> tied because of the changing persouiH at White House and the feverish spir t. raised during a difficult political campaign. The position lias become un it and more complex, because of the la titude of irresponsible speakers "'to spoke by and large during the campaign irrespective of international feelings, and bent only on securing unity gains. Now America through its ordered government must face the political situation seriously and definitely. In the meantime both Japan and At .l < - riea are having a race in naval armaments. and Britain though lagging behind. can hardly do otherwise Hina follow. It appears to be a terrible miscarriage of statesmanship that ins'eid of trusting to their own right arm the nations do not co-operate in trust jug the League of Nations to secure the peace of the world. With Hie cost of the late war still to be paid most countries have had their fill and m, re of war, but Japan and America are not of these. America felt her strength only in the late war. and is thus embolden xl to l»o ambitious. Japan with n superlative navy also found her strength and • likewise has national ambitions i > h-> 1 respected and not ostracised. Both , countries require to he tolerant one to the other. Britain owes much to Japan as Pkewise to America, for sentimental reasons of race and cq-'C.ty svinpathies will lean mainly o ti o tatter, but the debt due to Tapan is so recent that the claim cannot he i' 1 ’ I '- looked. Britain must therefore he the intermediary of this big Tm v*. No doubt her diplomatic efforts arc m w laving used in that direction. NaMr.illv we hear very little of this farm of peaceful penetration. The jingoes claim t«, he heard, for it is the publicity which gives life to their oropigmdn But in all countries there is a big element of good will prevailing, an 1 Ibis tolerance is the sheet anchor for li’Jcr- ; national peace. Most folk still have i vivid impressions of the misery and loss i which war carries in its train, and ad vanced countries like Japan and Atmrca are not likely to seriously onsidler hostilities before all possible forces („f diplomatic adjustment are exhausted. i The fact that both are busy pifivirng | for possibilities is perhaps the \ est ! guarantee of all that war will not be ! probable because each is so well pie- , pared and there would be no element j of outstanding advantage to give an asI .aired victory in quick time.

The fact that the Governor-General is to pay the Coast an official visit next month will occasion a good deal of livcly interst throughout the district. We have as Governor-General now the Admiral of the Fleet, Viscount Jell icon a name familiar to all who followed the issues of the Great War—and who was not interested in the outcome of tile tragic clash of arias? In Admiral Jeliicoe we hav t > Britain’s foremost sailor. The men typical of the .British Navy—our first line of defence —which kept the shore of Great Britain free from the enemy and t’v ocean highways open that the Empire’s tradp and commerce may proceed in comparative security and regularity. lhe most remarkable feat to the credit of the Navy was the small toll of life in the transport of British and Allied forces overseas. It was indeed remarkable that so many hundred of thousands of men could be moved from place to place and the toll of enemy sinkings lie litfht. 'l'lie Navy enhanced its great reputation from this point of view alone, and as the master mind of that Navy in being Admiral Jeliicoe is the living and speaking example. He thus dcserves great honor and renown for all lime, and these eeonomiums will lie his from the whole British nation. Tt is typical of the man when he conies this' way. that lie will look personally into our industries. Naturally as a Navy man he is interested in coal and where it comes from and he is going to visit the coalmining centres in partioui | ar . Hi s visit hereabouts where we have dairying and sawmilling, to say nothing of the important promising development in regard to gold dredging, is likely to he curtailed somewhat. It could be extended profitably to inspect the industrial expansion of this neighborhood as also to see something of our scenic attractions. But brief or other- / wise the stay of His Majesty’s representative amongst ns will he none the 'less welcome. The people will appreciate the opportunity of showing him loyalty in a public way at a time when there is the call for folk to ho proud of their country and to stand up for it openly as something really to he proud of.

To-day brings us to the threshold of the Easter holidays—which fall rather earlier than usual this year; hut will he none the less a welcome break in the year’s bound. There is a serious movement at Home to make Easter it

fixed rather than a moveable festival, unci in time this will doubtless come to pass. Legislation .has been framed on the subject, and it is not unlikely that the second Sunday in April will ultimately become the regular recurring observance for the Easter lestival. The Church dignatories at Home are said to lie agreeing to a fixed date annually, and that accomplished there will he a very important reform in the calendar. ' The holidays now beginning do not lake on the importance of the Christmas and j Now Year festivals, when in these ' Antipodes we enjoy summer suns and longer days. The weather always plays its part in holiday festivities, and par- j tieulnrly in the autumn months the j genial disposition of Old Sol counts for j everything. The district, despite the financial stringency abroad, and to i which such frequent reference is now | being made in the press, is self eenticd and self-contained, and to that extent . is well able to provide for its own sport. The Mayor of Greymouth the other day remarked in this strain, and : there is no doubt even in difficult times, j the Coast is able to take care of itself. ( It is a producing community all the ; time, and there is a good deal of nccu- j mulated wealth hereabouts. The aggregate sum lodged in hunks and in securities generally, far outstrips any accommodation the people have to seek from the hanks. In that respect we are j really one of the pillars of Dominion ! finance, because of the surplus of money available on the Coast. This counts for ' solid prosperity and gives the .Coast a comfortable feeling when other centres find the financial conditions they are encountering, rather exacting. The holidays will tiring their respile, b t afterwards the country generally must settle down to months of strenuous work as the true panacea to the financial ailments we are heir to. In work lies the hope for the future weliaie ol the Dominion —and that is the pait the people a£ a whole can play.. With these reflections wo extend Eastei greetings to all our rcadeis.