"A Sinister Tragedy in the Pacific"

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 14, 13 October 1933, Page 17

"A Sinister Tragedy in the

Pacific"

MR.

FRANK

MILNERS

IMPRESSIONS

Special to the "Radio Record" 1YA, in relaying from the Auckland Town Hall last week the public reception tendered Mr. Frank Milner, the distinguished rector of Waitaki Boys’ High School, on his return from the Rotary Conference in America, performed a great service to the public of the Dominion. The speeches broadcast, particularly the stirring address of the eminent rector and orator, were of tremendous importance and many thousands must have tuned in to the interesting proceedings.

HE Town Hall was packed. The Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, presided. On the platform the official party included Archbishop Averill, Primate of New Zealand, Mr. T. ©. List, of New Plymouth, district governor of Rotary in New Zealand, and Sir James Parr. The esteem of Aucklanders for Mr. Milner and his recent work in the United States as an advocate of Anglo-Ameri-can. goodwill, was shown by the large crowd which’ included representatives of the staffs and pupils of secondary schools. In welcoming Mr. Milner on behalf of citizens, Mr. Hutchison remarked that the fact that both Mr. Milner and Mr, List had been invited to a personal interview with President Roosevelt indicated the high standing they had gained in the United States. Sir James Parr, speaking for the people of New Zealand, said he was proud to welcome home an old friend, and one of the Dominion’s most ‘distinguished sons. Sir James mentioned that when he was Minister of Education he once offered Mr. Milner the post of Director of Education, but he declined it, saying his

duty lay among the boys of his old school, "It would be a splendid thing if Mr. Milner was spared for a time for a world mission on behalf of better international relations and greater unity in the Anglo-Saxon race," declared Archbishop Averill, who also welcomed Messrs Milner and List. Further proof of Mr. Milner’s abilities and what America thought of him was instanced by Mr. List himself, He said Mr. Milner had declined at least three tempting and handsome offers to remain in U.S.A. Great as had been the effect of his public addresses, Mr. Milner’s most useful work had been done at small, informal and frank discussions -on international relations. Thunderous applause greeted Mr. Milner when he rose to speak. He dealt fully with the United States of America and succeeded in convincing many of his hearers that America was not a land of gangsterdom, racketeering, lynching and general indiscriminate criminality as many supposed. There were others, he said, who regarded America as a land of materialism and utilitarianism, a land of isolation and intense nationalism. But he showed that there was another

and a very different side to the American people. "To the stratum of idealism I made my appeal and the response was both electric and lasting," said Mr, Milner. "From my own experience let me tell you that it is possible to speak to Americans about things diametrically opposed to their present policy and about things which involved sacrifice on their part, and to evoke a response undoubtedly sincere and _ enthusiastic." (Applause.) Of much interest to listeners was Mr. Milner’s description of his visit, accompanied by Mr. List. to ‘President Roosevelt. The President had a wonderful smile "just like the Prince of Wales," in charm and appeal. Suffering from the grievous disability of being paralysed from the waist downwards as a result of infantile paralysis, President Roosevelt would not allow any sympathetic reference or commiseration on his ailment, said Mr. Milner. He dominated his disability by sheer power of the spirit. Mr. Milner said he was much impressed with the radiance and the buoyant spirit of the man. Mr. Milner, in giving a mental survey of the political condition of the world, said

he found little room for hope and he wondered where stability was to be found except in the British Empire and the great Republic of America. It had been said that democracy had failed, but America was showing that democracy had got a way, with full safeguards, to direct and positive action. "I do not think democracy is going to fail at all," continued Mr. Milner. "No other type of Government is going to satisfy either the British or the American people. These two. great branches of English-speaking people must function together. In their heart of hearts the Americans are ready to co-operate in the great task of making civilisation secure. I always endeavoured to impress my American audiences that Britain and the United States together held the world in their hands." The amazing growth of Japan, her need for economic expansion and the menace looming up in the Pacific was probably the most interesting and_ topical portion of Mr. Milner’s address. He made an urgejit appeal to his fellow countrymen to realise the immediate necessity for dealing with suitable international action with Japan’s bid for expansion, "T must confess that I am (continued on page 46.)

THE OPEN DOOR POLICY

Frank Milner Discusses Pacific Problems (Continued from page 17.) a much disappointed man," said Mr. Milner. "Disappointed because I have striven for years to impress upon teachers the need for a more generous and charitable understanding of the Japanese.. For a long time I had considered that the Japanese had been traduced and maligned. The Japanese played their part as honourable . allies during the World War and from 1918 to 1931 they discharged with honour their full international obligations. And now, we have the statement from the Japanese Minister of War, General Araki, that Japan had got nothing out of her idealism and internationalism. Japan has turned its back on idealism and now a new era of realism is displacing it. "There is a real menace,~I must confess, a really sinister aspect of the problems that are now being envisaged on the far side of the Pacific. I do not wish to be an alarmist, but I want to tell you that this naval race on poth sides of the Pacific is indicative of a tremendous tension of feeling. Not only is there the tremendous clash of feeling and of policies in regard to the ‘open door,’ but there is the urge that comes from the enormous increase of Japan’s population. Quite apart from the fact that the Samurai Party is in power, there are factors so large now that the Japanese people cannot restrain them."

Mr. Milner said that even if births in Japan were to cease altogether now 100,000 babies were born in Japan in a single year-there would remain the problem of finding employment in the next 10 years for 10,000,000 workers. Not being a migrating people the Japanese had to find employment for these vast millions through industrialism. This, in Japan, presupposed access to raw materials and also to world markets. It was made clear at the conference that Manchuria was a mere stopgap so far a; raw materials went. The iron and coal would not last more than a couple of years. "The Japanese being intensely ambitious, they are being wrongly led by the militaristic party," said Mr. Milner. "They simply cannot. contro] the forces now in action. That is the truth, unfortunately, and raw materials must be found to maintain iudustrialism. Japan is meeting with embargoes. They have said they musi. have access to the Indian market and that it was ‘a matter of life and death. They declare that if denied access to raw materials by negotiation, they will get them by force, Underlying all the rosewater and idealism and side issues of the Banff Conference, there was that sinister tragedy envisaged across the Pacific. The position is far more acute now than it was in 1920 and 1921. "I am sure that the New Zealand Government should get to work and make representation to. the British Government that the British and American Governments should get together hefore it is too: late. In the course

of the next year no question is going to be more alive and vital than this one. ‘There is still the growing need for’ callaboration of British and’ American statesmanship on the lines which had been so successful and .beneficial to the world in avoiding disuster in 1920-21." Coming from such. an intellectual and experienced man as Mr. Milner and realising our closeness to Japan, surely this grave warning gives New Zealanders food for" More than that, the New Zealand Government should heed Mr. Milner’s advice.