AUSTRALIA’S HOPES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 302, 16 September 1940, Page 5

AUSTRALIA’S HOPES

Mutual Defence Pact With United States

NEW YORK, August 30.

“Australia is looking hopefully in our direction for an arrangement similar to the mutual defence agreement being worked out between the United States of America and Canada,” says Mr. John Thompson .Scripps-Howard, staff writer, in the “New York World Telegram” and other papers. “A tie-up of any kind with the United States, Australians feel, would give them a sense of security, as well as a racial and Ideological anchor in these uncertain times. Unofficially, the Japanese frequently have clearly revealed their aims in Australia. They want unhampered access to Australian raw materials, such as coal, iron, gold and wool. They want markets for Japan’s industrial products, without discriminatory duties now prevailing. They also want unhindered immigration of Japanese into all parts of Australia, and freedom for fishing and jiearling off the island continent’s rich coasts. “Australia’s nearest occidental neighbour capable of helping her to maintain independence is the United States, and Australians are now welcoming American immigrants and American enterprise as a token of the solidarity of English speaking nations. They hope that such'contacts may result, eventually in AustralianAmerican relations similar to those between Canada and the United States.”