Defence of the Pacific

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 37, 7 November 1933, Page 11

Defence of the Pacific

Sir, —-Your correspondent “Anti-Scare-monger” remarks on the large number of Chinese and the lack of Japanese here. When the Japanese emigrate they take up a different line Irom that of the Chinese; it may have some bearing on the matter. Years ago when the Japanese went in large numbers to British Columbia aud California they took up farming, lumbering, salmon fishing and canning, and those two places would ultimately have become as Japanese Hawaii is to-day if they had not introduced legislation to stop that peaceful penetration. As regards unoccupied territory, surely a victorious war ’by a virile and numerous people would mean heavy, immigration and no postponement. Will "AntiScaremonger” please plainly state how the next generation would tackle the problem of an invading and heavily-arm-ed people, without a defensive war? One M.P. suggests we should trade with Japan, if Japan can under-cut Britain 30 per cent, to 70 per cent., Japan could supply the whole of what we import from Britain at about half the price, which would mean we would sell about £6,000000 worth of goods to Japan and t 9,000.600 to Britain for interest. Who would buy the rest, if we bought nothing of Britain? , „ rT “Pro Pace” quotes the Earl of Harewood as saying: "No war iu which this country has been involved lias been created by anyone excepting the politicians,„ ■and further on repeats “our politicians. Surely anyone who thinks for. himself would" question that, as it implies that British politicians have been the cause of every war in-which Britain has been engaged, ineluding the last war. Surely politicians are only a link between the causes' of war and war itself. Peace pacts and conventions fail because they will not remove the cause of war. ‘J.I..’ Gisborne, seems to imply that we should compete against Japan with long hours and low wages. That would make every nation poorer.-I am, et£. Carterton, November 3.