WAR IN PACIFIC

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1928, Page 3

WAR IN PACIFIC

FORESHADOWED BY FRENCHMAN (United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright > (Received this day at 12.2§ p.tu.: . PARIS, Sept. 19. M. Sarrnut (Minister for the Interior) foreshadows a future war in the Pacific, unless there is reconciliation between antagonistic interests affected. J'n an interview he stated , the Pacific had become a world problem, the solution of which involved even the future of civilisation.’ ** “ Let there be no mistake,” he said, “ the Pacific is the theatre where there will be staged at no distant period, tho most formidable conflict civilisation lms ever known, and beside which the late war will appear a mere skirmish. lor years rivalry in tho east was AngloRussian, with Spain holding a few strangling colonies. Russia was dreaded in fear of her seizing Asia, and she looked with envy. upon India which is still the central pillar on which , the fraternity of the States of the British Commonwealth is trusted to maintain. Britain must absorb and penetrate tho neighbouring stntes necessary 'for the, protection of India, whilo Britain holds tho masses of the population in Asia under her control, with Australia, New Zealand and Singapore as bases. ’ Russia has a trump card the transSiberian railway and tho United States • a most valuable base in tho Pliillipines, whilo Franco possesses a balcony overlooking the Pacific. Thus the Powers aro concentrating on the Pacific from eyory side, with eyes on China, its vast markets, inexhaustible mineral deposI its, hundreds of thousands of acres of oil lakes, and an endless supply of labour. :

Among the rivals of the western world it is a case of first come first - served, with the solitary exception of the United States, which only asks for an open door. Relations between Russia and Japan have changed since 1904. . Both believe the United States regards, them with animosity. Is it Iforbidden, therefore, to imagine that Russia and China, assuring Japan of a continental outlet for her populations, thus allowing all three to lookless timidly at a possible European conflict? Cannot we consider the hypothesis of Russia and Japan solid m resistance to' the United States fearingn'n Anglo-American-Frencli coalition in the Pacific, dreaming of a fraternity of arms against the white. races They may then attack Germany and Poland ' order to provide the necessary European incident capable of retaining the French and British fleets m Europe, thus preventing. Franco-British fleets joining American in a Pacific war or defending their own possessions m the Pacific.”