SEAS THAT ARE FREE, AND OTHER SEAS
As non-American shipping is not allowed to participate in ' the trade between Honolulu and the United States, it wquld be equal justice if American shipping were not allowed to participate in, the trade between New Zealand, Australia, and Fiji. It is plain, therefore, that the United States Government would have no; moral or legal right to protest against the adoption by New Zealand and Australia (Dominions) and by Fiji (Crown Colony) of a policy of which the Americans are the authors. It is also asserted, and seems to be a fact, that legislation by a Dominion on shipping matters is not invalid in the absence of . the Royal Assent. A generation ago, when New Zealand proposed to legislate against P. and O. (British) steamers that began to call at Auckland employing lowly-paid lascars (British subjects), the Royal Assent stood in the way; but times have changed, the two cases do not resemble each other, and the Imperial legal system, it is stated, presents no legal bar to joint action by New Zealand and Australia protective of British ' shipping against United States shipping. What, then, is the bar? Evidently the bar is expediency. St. Paul's saying, "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient," was a favourite maxim of a late English statesman. Expediency, looking into high politics, looking into the future, and looking to the possibilities of markets in America and particularly looking into the future of the Pacific and the racial problems lurking there, hesitates to do unto the United Slates what the United States has done unto us. But there arc on the other hand people who hold that no Government respects a Government that fears to repay in kind. The pase for action to defend our shipping is definite; the case against is indefinite. With the two heads of the Government going to London, and Australia's Prime Minister already there, cannot some attempt be made, in conference with Imperial authorities, to cut this knot?
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19350402.2.38
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1935, Page 8
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338SEAS THAT ARE FREE, AND OTHER SEAS Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1935, Page 8
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