THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

Evening Star, Issue 17034, 3 May 1919, Page 12

THE MARSHALL ISLANDS

JAPAN’S OCCUPATION. SIR JAMES ALLEN ANXIOUS. Speaking at the Navy League meeting in Dunedin yesterday afternoon. Sir James Alien said: I do not view without alarm the position in the Pacific. We are taking under our mandate a portion of the territories previously occupied by the_ Germans. Other islands in the Pacific will probably be handed over to a nation that during the war has been a friend of ours. We cannot say that that nation will remain friendly for all time. I look with a good deal of anxiety upon the occupation of the Marshalls by the Japanese. If you look at the map you will see that the Mar-

ghalls are about halfway between Japan and New Zealand and Japan and Australia. It seems hard to find any reason — except the wish to dominate the Pacific—why the 0 panese want to occupy the Marshall Islands. I do not know what will result from the Conference at Home, or what the position may be with respect to the mandate of Japan with regard to the Marshalls. During the war an undertaking was arrived at in reference to the islands north of the Equator and the islands south of the Equator. That undertaking having been made, the Empire cannot break its word; and if the Marshalls have to go to . Japan we must put up with that position. But X hope that satisfactory arrangements will be made with reference to the question of fortifications, etc. I do not wish to underrate what Japan has done in the war. The fact that she was present in the Pacific

made things comparatively safe tor us, and everv credit must be given her for the service she rendered. It may be that .1 am wrong in thinking that she has any ulterior motives in occupying the Marshall Islands. I hope that lam wrong, and that Japan has no intention of spreading her wings right over the Pacific. • But i, tear there is a possibility.