AUSTRALIA AND ASIA

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26511, 28 August 1951, Page 7

AUSTRALIA AND ASIA

CHURCH’S VIEW OF RELATIONS

SYDNEY, August 27. A pamphlet issued by the Roman Catholic Chufch emphasises Australia’s responsibility to Asia. The pamphlet, whieh is published with the authority of the Archbishops and bishops of the Roman Catholic Church of Australia, says that Australia will not survive unless:

(1) She becomes a great Christian Commonwealth and plays a major part in converting Asia to Christianity. (2) Australia and the Western World help Asia to maintain its miliHons by developing Asia’s untapped resources by the inflow of capital on a great scale as a great act of Christian charity, (3) Australia refuses to allow vested or sectional interests to stand in the way when great financial sacrifices must be made in the interests of her Asian neighbours. (4) Australians arouse the public conscience of the Western world, convincing it that the most remote Asian peasant is a brother to the citizens of the West and is entitled to their fraternal aid.

The pamphlet adds: “The survival of Australia as an independent nation for 50 years since federation, must appear as an historical anomaly. To the north of Australia lie 1.000,000 000 people suffering from dreadful poverty which must be seen to be realised. In this Australian sub continent of Asia live a few paltry millions of Europeans who, in the very worst times, have enjoyed a life which, to Asiatics, would seem to be one of unbelievable ease and comfort”