The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1930. PACIFIC RELATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1930. PACIFIC RELATIONS.

1 he mail last week brought to the Otago 'Times office a copy of the conference number of Pacific -Relations, which contained the text of the addresses delivered by delegates from eight countries at the recent biennial conference of the Institute, held at Kyoto, Japan. It is impossible says the paper, not to be impressed by the spirit of frankness in which the members of the Institute approached the problems with which the countries of the Pacific, particularly China and Japan, are faced. Mr Charles F. Loomis, who contributes an article upon the mangeinent of the conference, admits candidly that there are difficulties to he overcome before the controversial topics selected for consideration by round table groups and in forum can he discussed with the minimum of re-seive. On some occasions, lie states, delegates to the third conference betrayed the fact that they had not adequately informed themselves in advance concerning the sub-

jects under review, and sometimes the experts tended to ,'monopoAse the., time of the round tables. Probably, however, such minor drawbacks are inevitable at any largely-attended conference. Apart from this con- / sideration, the value of the meetings of the Institute cannot be doubted. Lne question of most absorbing interest that was considered at Kyoto conference was the present position in Manchuria, including the status and activities of the Japanese South Manenurian Railway, the vast immigration into Manchuria from China proper, and the problem presented by the ownership and control of the Si no-Rus-sian Chinese Eastern Railway, which aco tin ted ior the war-like activities 011 the border of Russia, and Manchurialast year. The result or the lengthy discussion of’ tins question was that delegates were with the impression that if a rapproachement was not probably it was at least possible,— a very different attitude of mind, as Lord HaiJsham remarked, from that in which the deliberations were begun. Extreme delicacy in the approaching of toe most pressing problems regarding the determination of foreign policies in the Pacific area is naturallyrequired at the meetings of the Institute, where Chinese and Japanese delegates have to- put- aside the particular prejudices of their own national outook and hear representatives of the Western peoples comment upon, and occasionally criticise, their jealous points of view. An eloquent tribute to the goodwill engendered by this unofficial conference, is furnished, however, in the fact, flint even such a subject as the matrimonial ideas of the Eastern world was freely discussed. Dr J.nozo Nitobe, in his opening address, gave an indication of the spirit in which the Japanese delegates attended the conference .when he emphasised the -readiness with which New Japan was prepared to respond to international calls emanating from the West, which the chief Chinese delegate, Dr David Z. T. Yui, was equally candid in placing before the conference the viewpoint and the difficulties of the new Republic of China. The significance of the Institute of Pacific-Re-lations is not yet to he measured in terms of achievement, but the willingness of important men from countries so largely differing from each other in race, religion and creed as the United States and Japan to meet on common ground conveys striking "suggestion of the importance that the Institute may assume in international affairs. The Hon. William W. Astor, writing in the Observer, expresses his opinion that the method of study adopted by the Institute, through the co-ordina-tion of unofficial conference and research, -has been of no small utility and influence in the Pacific area, and the hone may be expressed from the report of the Kyoto conference that the Institute will go on from strength to strength as better relations are, partly hrough its agency, established among the countries of the Pacific.