AUSTRALIA’S DESTINY

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1921, Page 12

AUSTRALIA’S DESTINY

OUTPOST OF WHITE RACE, RECOGNITION IN BRITAIN DEFENCE AND IMMIGRATION. . . Y London, Feb. 2. In long interview dealing with the White Australia policy and immigration, j\lr. E. D. Millen said that his experiences in Europe had trebly convinced him that tlie British Empire was the world’s

sheet-anchor. AU would be weld if the different parts of the Empire pulled togi*tber, recognising that a united British family of nations was essential to each part. As** an instance, Australia’s great need for people was soluble only by united action, by which the immence migration ; of British people would certainly follow the war would be organised wards Australia. Previous figures would appear small when the schemes now being worked out to place British people happily in Australian life came to fruition.

Mr. Millen added that Australia’s racial purity must be maintained, to.the very point of death. The White Australia. doctrine held the world’s respect, though at the moment it offended the great and courageous nation of Japan, where it was not understood. He believed that when Japan understood it; she would accept it as an ideal worthy of a virile people and ally. While / the mad Japanese-American naval race continued it was vital to Australia that the British interests in the Pacific .should be safeguarded. If it meant many -ships, he was confident that they would be provided by the Empire.

Mr. Millen concluded : “It is unthink--able now, after you saw our boys fight honourably and gallantly and die for their ideals, that you should not recognise those ideals as inspired by high motives,”

The Times, in a leading article, welcoming Mr. Millen’s statement, deslared :“The people of Australia must be white because it is an outpost in the Pacific of white civilisation, and mixed blood would threaten the pillars of that civilisation. The difficulty of obtaining all the immigrants needed to settle the vast land is not a valid argument against a Wiite Australia. Since when have the people of this country ceased to reverence ideals? Australia’s faith in her whiteness is strengthened, not weakened, by the size of her country and her demands for population.

“We observe with gratification that Mr. Millon shows clearly the close connection of overseas aspirations with the future of the British Navy, which is no longer the navy of Britain but of the British people. Much reference to the Dominion’s share in naval matters has been omitted from the discussion proceeding here out of respect tj) Dominion i self-government, but there is no doubt that a recognition of this obligation is gathering in the Dominions, and Mr. Millen is the first to give it words. The June conference will most certainly make good his» declaration that the new world position of flip Dominions has strengthened their consciousness of a common obligation io provide for the security of the whole Empire.” MORE NAVAL OPINIONS. AIRCRAFT AND SUBMARINES. London, Feb. 7. Several admirals have written to the London correspondent of the Sydney Sun concerning naval policies in the Pacific. Admiral Sir William Grant, Commander of the China Station in 1916-47, said that an organised and sustained attack on Australia and New Zealand by a large naval force, with or without troops, would only be possible after the seizure of a base within easy distance of the area of operations. If Australia were adequately provided wjth submarines, destroyers, mine-layers and aircraft, which would be quickly concentrated, it would be most difficult to maintain and hold such a base. Australia and New Zealand should for the present concentrate on the craft mentioned, which, with the existing cruisers, would afford adequate protection against any probable form of attack. Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman, formerly First Sea Lord, said that the outer Empire should concentrate on the protection of trade routes, coasting, and sea traffic, entailing the provision of light cruisers, destroyers, submarines and. aircraft. It was most important that the personnel should be numerous, efficient and well trained. The east coast would provide the greatest strategic advantages for an Ausralian base. Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon, who commanded the Dover patrols from 1915 to 1918, said : “The Grand Fleet was the only modern and properly-organised fleet which during the war had not a battleship sunk by submarine, and only one by mine. Not one battleship was torpedoed or bombed by aircraft, and not one was torpedoed by destroyers. Hence the much-advertised vulnerability of the battleship in a battle fleet is based solely on a phantom surmise. The policy of defence remains unaltered by war experience, but the details can only be properly worked out by the Admiralty in conjunction with local naval everts. Regarding Australia and New Zealand, I consider that Lord Jellicoe’s opinion is worth that of a hundred others unversed in local conditions.”

Vice-Admiral Robert Anstruther, admiral in charge at Hongkong 1912-16, said : “I believe any important island of .the outer Empire could keep her shores inviolate, given up-to-date aircraft, destroyers and submarines,”