AUSTRALIAN PROBLEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1920, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN PROBLEMS.

THE MENACE PROM ASH. VULNERABILITY TO ATTACK. AN ENGLISHMAN'S VIEWS. London, Sept. 7. "I believe that a White Australia k justified," writes Mr. Basil Long, Dominions' editor of the Times, who was a member of the Prince of Wales' party during the recent tour, and is now contributing to his paper a series of articles on the Commonwealth. He says that the effect of reconstruction, prosperity, and distance combine to make Australia seem to the visitor extraordinarily indifferent to the ceaseless anxieties vexing Europe. Apart from her sacrifices of men, the growth of expenditure is alarming in a country of only 5,000,000 people, which seems to have felt the war to the smallest extent. Europe's need of products at high prices causes the producer to flourish, and hie wealth feed 9 the cities. Food is so plentiful and good that the half-starved European thinks he has never known before what good food is. Prices seem low to those used to the home exactions, though even Australian prices rise steadily, and the people may know in a, year or so what "H.C.L." really means. At present they pay English prices for clothing, but for little else.

Europe's news reaches Australia daily from well-conducted agencies, reflecting the distractions of the Uneasy Old World, but making so small an impre3 : sion that even the visitor begins after a time to read with a languid eye. If the pinch comes, Australia, having won a new dignity among the nations, will be ready to meet any fortune. At present she is too busy and too far away to think much about it. There is the warmest affection for Great Britain, and great admiration for what her people had done. The wonderful Welcome to the Prince of Wales is one evidence of this.

Naturally there is criticism of our ways, and impatience at our slowness and muddling, with here and there real hostility to British policy, especially among those of Irish stock. What Australia would do if Great Britain became involved in a war over some central European question nobody can say. What is far more important, aa affecting her position within the Empire, is Australia's attitude towards countries outside Europe. If Australia is parochial owing to indifference, we are far more apt to think only of European questions. Australia stands to Asia as we stand to Europe, with this difference, that Britain is thickly populated, and Australia is a vast, empty continent, towards which packed millions may be looking with envious eyes.

The Australian is vociferous about excluding the Asiatic, and could hardly be human if he were not, having seen the hopeless struggle of whites endeavouring to survive competition with coloured -people elsewhere. "I believe that a 'White Australia' is justified," says Mr. Long, "for white civilisation is too precious a thing to be sacrificed in one outpost without a struggle."

The Australian is not blind to the risk of complications caused by this policy, but is content to shut his eyes and say little. Though there was loud applause when the Australian Prime 'Minister used bold language at Paris, yet Australia is most vulnerable to attack. An indispensable condition of her security is the command of the seas. She must rely upon the sea -power of Great Britain, though- a fleet operating in her wateTS would be badly handicapped. Australia lias no dry dock that would take a first-class modern battleship. During the war the Government was engaged in building a dock near Fremantle. There is a deal of mystery about this, but if I am not mistaken the construction was stopped, as money was scarce. But whatever the necessities of Great Britain, it is always realised that the navy must be kept up v to strength. The anxiety about the future of Australia would be less persistent if similar insight were general. The Times, in a leading article on Mr. Long's contribution, says that too little is known in P.ritain since the end of the war regarding the thought and life of the Dominions. Such ignorance or its appearance is a treacherous thing, especially <whon it is considered how the effects of the war were felt in the Dominions. It is most necessary that the people of each part of the Emiire should keep their knowledge of each other fresh and accurate.