THE PROBLEM OF THE EAST

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21759, 16 April 1936, Page 12

THE PROBLEM OF THE EAST

BURDEN OF INCREASING POPULATION

ALTERNATIVE COURSES OPEN

The methods of finding outlets for the rapidly increasing populations of China and Japan were discussed by Mr J. E. Strachan in an address to the Christchurch branch of the League of Nations Union last night. Mr Strachan contended that the only solutions were industrialisation or territorial expansion by population overflow. Japan, he said, was adopting the former method, and China found the latter more suitable to her people's natural characteristics. Dr. R. R. D. Milligan presided. "The fundamental question of the East is how the people can raise or even maintain the standard of living in the face of the rapidly expanding population and its increasing pressure on the nation's natural resources," said Mr Strachan. The position was one with which Europe was familiar, and relief was found on that continent partly through emigration and partly through a move from agrarian to industrial occupation. The method of relief placed the rest of the world in the position of service to the industrial nation. It was still open, and British nations were not again faced with the same dilemma. The problem was not the same in the East. The natural method of relief from pressure of population in China was for an overflow into a wider area. Great expanses in the interior were affiliated to China, and were, until recently, available for overflow, until they came into conflict with another nation. The ability to flow over into other territory so successfully was attributable to the natural characteristics of the Chinese. They were a sociable and pacifist people, and could live under any conditions. Where friction became evident it was generally caused by another party. In trading they were a very' &n& '"people",' scrupulously honest. Rights of Humanity Occasionally the question of why China should not overflow into Australia had arisen, but whatever answer was given, there always remained the rights of humanity.

"The political fragmentation of the world with monopolies and prior rights is the chief cause of international conflict," said Mr Strachan. "No solution is possible until there is the freest possible exchange of goods and services throughout the world." The Chinese had a right to the common cultural and scientific heritage of the world because their contributions to that heritage had been as great as any other, and had been made oyer a greater period of time, he said. The ability of Chinese traders in other countries was the answer to the question whether they were able to utilise the natural resources of countries which the.y might occupy. Where they had occupied territory it had been largely to the benefit of the people with whom they we're associated. Industrialism in Japan The Japanese were an emigratingpeople, said Mr Strachan, but they demanded a country as near to their own in clfmate as possible. For that reason they were adopting the relief provided ]jy greater industrialism. They would be content to live within their own shores if they could get the raw materials and And markets for their manufactures. For that reason Japan had had virtual control of Manchukuo since 1931. 'The Japanese are strongly class conscious," continued Mr Strachan, "and their feudal system is still fairly strong. With the burden of taxation steadily increasing, there is much illiterate radicalism, and consequently , much emotionalism." That last characteristic was being cleverly used by the Government, which was faced with alternative cures, one being socialism and the other fascism of the type adopted by Hitler. The latter showed the greater promise, and there was rapidly arising a military fascism allied to nationalism. "