Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1919. A JAPANESE VIEW.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1942, 20 February 1919, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1919. A JAPANESE VIEW.

VIiPTINC io iii<- Am-khmd Siar on (lie subject id' .Japan and I lie Pacilir Blands,.a Jape?iese .-onii-i-Imtor (Air T. Ichi.jima) thi)iks that .Japan is misunderstood in regard to ihc 'Pacific, and says: Why is it dangerous to hand over these small islands, north of the ihpialor, to Japan ? I.l' it gives an uneasy I'eel,ii><>■ lo lhe neighbouring States for Japan to h<Jd the mandatory power over those islands, the same argument will apply to Japan when other nations occupy the same position. But it can never ho so. New Zealanders must remember that my country is now working under the League of Nations scheme, and if Japan is md to he given authority over the territory referred (o. who will get it? Is New Zealand wanting if? No! She already has Samoa —about twice as large as the total area of those islands, Australia ? No! She got Kaiser Wilhelm's Land. Bismarck Archipelago, dr,—a hundred times larger than (he i-dands to he received by Japan, America or China,. 1 don't ’think they have any right to a (dainn as they did not lake part in the early stages of the war. Who, then, has a more right and a juster claim than Japan'? I will not stale here how the Japanese have worked loyally in the-cause of England and humanity, as 1 believe that the people of New Zealand know a.s nmeli concerning this as I do. I say, therefore, Japan should be given dominion over 1 !m e. small Pacific Islands for (lie work she has dune in litis war." Mr Phillips says: “Japan

was bound by treaty to help us, without paying sneh a price.” If there shall, not be reward for the work done by Japan, New Zealand or Australia should equally have no right to he given Samoa or New Guinea, beeause, a (-cording to the argument of Mr Phillips, they have done their duty towards the Mother Country, England, which is what

Japan has done under the obligations of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Your Mother Country, England, requested Japan to lake (hose islands from German hands before (he war. We have done this work for otir Ally, and for humanity, and looked after them for more than four years, and laycountry has not betrayed the confidence whieh was given to her by England. Is it not' ignoring your Mother Country’s conlidem-e in us that you should protest against .la.pan retaining this territory :' 1 hope Air Massey; and Mr Hughes, in dealing with this question, will not misjudge your ally Japan and the Japanese. Let us not forget your motto, "Play the game." 1 have been in (his country for more than fifteen months, and lane had ample opporlunity of arriving at a definite opinion regarding your aims in life. 1 regard your people as the advocates of humanity and justice, and I really have a good feeling for your tuition, because I think we understand you belter than you understand us„. We must avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments in a matter of this description.