Taranaki Daily News. THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1911. WHAT OF THE FUTURE?

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 298, 11 May 1911, Page 4

Taranaki Daily News. THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1911. WHAT OF THE FUTURE?

In considering a possible confederation of nations in the Pacific that will be strong enough to definitely .say "Hands off the Pacific," it is necessary to mention the people who already have their feet on Pacific lands. The prophecy has been repeated time after time recently that there must be a struggle for naval supremacy in the Pacific, because Japan will claim a right of access to unoccupied lands. In such case the United States, Australia and New Zealand must inevitably be involved, even though the former bears the brunt of the attack. Japan, chiefly because of British friendliness, has become one of the great powers, with a corresponding pride, an intense desire for superiority, and a determination to obtain territory. There is intense soreness in at the restrictive legislation which'keeps the Japanese out of the United States and Australia. It has been said by experts,that Japan could seize the whole of the Pacific seaboard of the United States and Canada before either could do anything to prevent it. The point for people in Australasia is that if two great peoples with a much better chance of protection than Australia could not prevent Japan seizing their Pacific coast, what hope would Australia and New Zealand have should the Mikado.wjsh us to welcome a few millions of his' subjects ? At Hawaii, from whence we have lately heard news of the "Hands Round the Pacific Club," there are already sixty thousand Japanese trained to arms; It .is already virtually Japanese Territory, and certainly a probable base. There is little doubt that the .Philippines arc rapidly becoming "Japanned," and there is no doubt at all that there will be five thousand Japs in \ew Caledonia within a year. A recent writer appears to have a remarkable idea of the prowess of the Jap. Stating that there arc now two thousand Japanese laborers in New Caledonia, twenty thousand white people, and sixty thousand other colored folk', he alleges that if these two thousand brown people rose tomorrow the one hundred thousand others would not have a chance. If the United States and Australia are as frightened of the Jap as this particular correspondent seems to be. it would be best to concede the Pacific to the Mikado without further bother. The most potent fact, however, is not the alleged ability of one. Jap to upset fifty white or colored folk, but that he is stepping ashore without let or hindrance on various places from which he can successfully sally if lie wants to. The United States believes war is inevitable with Japan, and .i< the United States acknowledges she is not ready to fight, she is not picking a qnfirrel that will make the nations decide the matter out of hand without waiting for the expiration of the Anglo-Jap treaty. Our sublime faith in the British navy leads u« to the belief that when the Mikado comes knocking—if the treaty is not renewed—the navy will knock back. But you en n't forward a navy by wireless, and if the available power of the Imperial sea fighting force is concentrated in the Xorth Sea in order to prevent, f.'ermany from looting London, the empty countries this end of the world will have to look after themselves

and take their gruelling. The plain facts are that if Japan wants access to Australia or New Zealand, there is nothing to prevent her obtaining her desires. Australia and New Zealand might give her an interesting time, should it be thought advisable to resist the invaders, but the ultimate issue would never be in doubt. We must cheer ourselves up with the reflection that our allies will be allies still for nearly five years, and that Uncle Sam's may be the first territory to be invaded, and that he will be able to bold his -own. If Uncle Sam can't hold his own, Australasia cannot hope to.