SIR J. FINDLAY’S VIEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1921, Page 12

SIR J. FINDLAY’S VIEWS.

DOMINIONS AND JAPAN. QUESTION OF TREATY RENEWAL. London, Feb. 2)4. Although Sir John Findlay holds very definite opinions regarding the aspirations of the Japanese in the Pacific, he has perhaps been somewhat indiscreet in the way in which he has submitted his views to, the British public. The Pall Mall and Globe, an evening journal, has published his first contributed article under the headings of “What New Zealand Wants” —“No Renewal df the ,Anglo-Japanese Treaty,” and the editorial introduction announces that “he is a great Imperialist and a leading statesman of the Dominion.” In the first part of the article he touches on the desire of Australians and New Zealanders that their respective countries should remain exclusively for the white man. “This is not my opinion merely,” he writes. “It is a national conviction. They do not want emigrants from fthina, Japan or India. The color bar is definitely fixed, and is a fundamental feature of our constitution. We want the British Empire to recognise that fact to respect it. “I am giving away no secrets when I say that plans are being prepared, and presently there will be launched a big scheme of Imperial emigration. This will be followed by a scheme of European emigration. Since the war we have no use for Germans, and we do not want Russians; but barring these two peoples, the rest of Europe have a surplus population on which we hope to draw very materially. THE “COLOR QUESTION.”

“It is apparently difficult for the Government of the Mother Country, and possibly for its people, to realise how great jm the color question with us New Zealanders and Australians. The Chinese come to us in odd numbers in spite of the language test, a heavy poll tax, and other prohibitive measures. They work in the goldmines, as marlwt gardeners, as servants, and such-like humble vocations. They are few in numbers, and we want their numbers to diminish rather than increase.”

The concluding paragraphs of the article read as follows:—“The Japanese are a more aggressive people, and constitute our greatest menace.. We want the Imperial Government to understand this matter more thoroughly than it does. ' What Japan did in helping the Allies during the war is fully appreciated by us. We are thankful for the services rendered. Japan’s honorable conduct ana correct attitude while we were at war have somewhat assuaged the bitterness of the controversy. But the Japanese peril is there all the time. And we want the Home Government to visualise the situation more clearly. RELATIONS 'WITH AMERICA. “It has now come to this: New Zealand and Australia—for in this matter we are all of one mind—object emphatically to the renewal of the Anglo-Japan-ese Treaty When that treaty was made there was some excuse for it. Russia was threatening Europe, and America was too much concerned about the NJonroe Doctrine to he depended on. The German and the Russian menace are now removed, and, as for America, she is ready to make common cause with us over the Japanese peril. So there is no justification for a continuance of an undesirable “This subject came up before the last Imperial Conference, and in the coming conference I have every reason to believe it will he one of the most important qustions for consideration. This time it will have to be thrashed out properly.” From a conversation with Sir John Findlay, I gather that were he writing the article again there are things he would put differently. For instance, he now states that he does not regard the, present treaty as being dangerous, but he “views with apprehension the pressure being brought to bear upon Australia and New Zealand to bring about the renewal of I the treaty on conditionr. which would widen the. door of admission of Asiatic people to Australia and New Zealand.”