THE AMERICAN FLEET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 148, 17 March 1908, Page 6

THE AMERICAN FLEET.

. The decision .of; -Washington : 'to in,elude. Australia .in . tlie: tour' of' the American jfleet'appears to, have given great; satisfaction to the Commohwoajthl Tlie Premier is reported today as having. declared that.,the'fleet will receiye sucli a welcome in Australia as.has never been*secn outside_the TJnited States, arid . there is no 'reason to doubt that for once the complimentary ■ assurahces of: tlie' .politician coincide with public 1 . There is some reason why the fleet should .. accorded .a welcome that will remain, "notable in the chronicles of naval journeyings. ' America is a friendly nation; its- alliance'with Great _ Britain, though 'unknown to the : pigeon-holes diplomacy,' is registered in the hearts of, the two great branches of the Anglo-Sfl'xon people; it is bound, to Great Britain by. the ties of common descent, common traditions, and R' common language....;-Tb ,Australasians, A besides, ; • America, appeals peculiarly'as the great example of successful "nationalism "; and even the most loyal defender perial connection"'; can-' think, with pride :bf .the ; spirit that triumphed' iri the War. of Independence. By".themselves, . these are; good and. sufficient reasons why Australians ' should- be zealous in showing- their ' goodwill when' the 'fleet arrives. ' /

But:\:there is another, and a less wholly admirable, feeling behind theonthusiasm. which' Mr. Deakin; promises on behalf of ( 'l>is fellow citirens.It; is impossible to ignore that, throughout.ithe recent friction; between America tlnd Japan, the sympathies of the ; Australian' people ■ have " been chiefly with the 'United . States,.:; A large section of the public felt,:, and continues to feel, that Americaj is_ the great. protagonist : of the '. anti-Asiatic movement in Canada and Australasia. The. welcome that will be accorded to the fleet will therefore be stimulated to some extent by a desire to express this .feeling, ' When the Japanese fleet visited the Commonwealth, there was abundance of politeness and no lack of cordiality in the hosts, but there was little of the popular eagerness and warmth of w&l6ome which are certain to make the visit of the American, vessels a memorable event. That this should be so is very natural, but it v will be regrettable if the. visit' is to be made tho occasion of provocative anti-Asiatic talk. Attempts are certain to be made by hot-headed and irresponsible people to give the celebrations the air of an anti-Asiatic carand to present the fraternising of' tlxd two peoples as a joyful meeting, between allies joined: in a common enmity ; towards a third party.' Already, a high official has come dangerously. near to indiscretion in his' enthusiasm. In ordinary circum-, stances the statement by the federal Minister for, Defence, that- " we feel' our future in the Pacific is bound up in that of America," would be unexceptionable, but the circumstances are not ordinary, and Mr. Ewing's senti' ment must be read through them. So considered,' it looks very much like an assurance that America's quarrel with Japan'' is 'Australia's. There'is the less reason for an. outburst of antiAsiatic spread-eagleism; in that Japan and America have composed their dissensions, and that there are ' quite enough peaceable .and kindly reasons for a display of. enthusiastic cordiality without the aid of n community j of dislikes. , _ • , _ _. _ In supporting . Australia's invitation to the fleet to visit Australia, Mr. Bryce, the distinguished British Ambassador in Washington, was obviously moved by a desire to forward a project which would bring Great Britaijv and America closer together. Although there is no anti-American feol-

ing in Great Britain, there is, unfortunately, some anti-British, suspicion amongst Americans. The. frank cordiality which the fleet will meet hi Australia will assist ,to dispel that suspicion, and Mr. Bryce probably had this m mind. Yet the gain, in sympathy and good relations will be seriously discounted if the welcome to the fleet is mingled with oblique demonstrations against Japan, which, after all, is the ally of Great Britain.