"A REAL DANGER."

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17756, 7 May 1923, Page 4

"A REAL DANGER."

JAPAN'S MILLIONS. "In oonsWfenng tbe picture of Australia, it is not possible to ignore the need that faces Japan of expanding in any direction where such, expansion is possible." . So said Sir Matthew Nathan, Governor of Queenslandj in a speech at lpswioh in which he made particular reference to the problem of the coloured races.

"I do not mean by this," his Excellency went on, "that the Japanese are planning aggressive action against Australia, or that there is any malice in them, Or reason for hatred of them. A country can become over-full; and then must spill over. In this respect, much the same is happening in the island of Great Britain, in the northeast Atlantic, as in the islands of Japan, in .the north-west Pacific. Japan's population is increasing at the rate of some 700,000 to 800,000 a year, and life is rapidly becoming more difficult for its inhabitants. The English people havo an outlet by emigration, and the Japanese are seeking one. "Australia's position would be understood when one remembered that while, with an area of square miles, and a population of 5,500,000, it had 1.8 persons per square mile. Japan, with an area of about 150,000 rTquare miles, had a population of 5«,000,000, or not far short of 375 people per square mile. "In my lifetune, during which the population of England and Wales has nearly doubled, that of Australia has more than doubled. It had increased from 1,200,000 to 5,500,000. Although the addition by natural increase is necessarily growing owing to increased numbers,, it "is not growing as it should hy reason of declining; birth rate. When the population was 1,200,000, in 1882, the birth, rate was 42.6 per thousand: in 1922 it was 24.7. "This fall in the birth rate, which we have grown to expect in closely populated countries, is a new feature in countries where there is plenty of space for growth and conditions are comparatively easy. The present birth rate is not much greater than that of England, and considerably less than that of Japan. These things seem to mo to point to a real danger of Japan ultimately spilling over into Australia. Australia" has made up her mind that she will not allow this as far as she can stop it. and there are few now who do not believe that Australia has been right in so doing. But the question is how to slop it. '•'lmagine a small and a large pool not very far apart. The small pool is nearly full, and there is still a groat flow into it. It has been decided to prevent that flow passing to the great pool. At first, when there is only the threat of a trickle, this presents no great difficulty. Then it becomes necessary, in order to exclude the water coming from the smaller pool, to surround the big one with a concreto wall of restrictive legislation. Later on. that wall would have to be reinforced by the iron of defence measures. "Is there no better way of saving I Australia than by costly and probably ineffective militarismf "Why not fill the great pool ourselves with the strong white fluid of our own race, which will keep out the thinner coloured liquid? I do not think it is exaggeration to say that Australia will be filled, from one source or,.another, in the lifetime of the younger of those present, and it is up to those of the present generation to determine whether it Bhould be filled by men of their oVn colour, or, in the fullness of time, by thcee of the darker bttfj.'!