PACIFIC RELATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1933, Page 5

PACIFIC RELATIONS

CHIEF PROBLEMS

BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OPENS. i United Press Association —By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright) BANFF (Alberta), August 15. Sir Herbert Samuel, the cfTamnan of the British group attending the Institute of Pacific Relations at tlie inaugural dinner on Monday n ght

of the conference’s fifth biennial meeting, said that slowly and painfully the world was learning that a philosophy of conflict, combat and war was wrong, and that each country prospered best in a prosperous world. He continued: “Civilisation is too materialistic, and the economic side of life tends to dominate the whole.” The Pacific problems, lie urged, should be treated by themselves —the problems of population, production, consumption and currencies especially. It should also be recognised that these problems must be linked, of necessity, with the sipiilar problems of the rest of the world. “Why,” Sir Samuel 4 asked, “should the globe be ever a scene of conflict?”

is deeply concerned over the major external issues, which seriously affect the United States, and conversely any attack made upon the Dominion, which might seem a likely result of giving any non-British people a foothold here, would almost certainly bring the United States into action on Canada’s side,’’ said Sir Robert Falconer,, president of the conference. He declared that war between the United States and Canada would he a moral atrocity.

“The world recently has had the. unhappy experience of inter-govern-mental conferences,” declared Mr Jerome D. Greene, professor of international politics at the University College of Wales, replying to Sir R. Falconer’s address of welcome. He added that his experience justified asserting that where highly controversial issues were concerned, meetings of plenipotentiaries committed to the alternative of definite binding action, or failure,, were almost foredoomed to failure. “The process by which international differences could be settled involves two factors. First, the harmonising of views .through new information. and the removal of misunderstandings. Secondly, mutual sacrifice and concessions, whether actuated by expediency or desire for peace and justice.” Dr. Inazo Nottobe, chairman of the Japanese delegation, declared: “A clear understanding where nations stand on the problems that harass today is -what the world wants. It is my privilege to assure you in the name of the Japanese delegation that the Institute shall have our earnest co-operation.”

Dr. Hu Shihi, . professor of philosophy at the Pekin University, declared that members of the Institute must rise above their national prejudices and seek to understand their own national problems in the light of those of other peoples, with whom they live and have commercial relations.