The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1944. PACIFIC SECURITY.

Evening Star, Issue 25068, 8 January 1944, Page 4

The Evening Star SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1944. PACIFIC SECURITY.

As tin; date; of the Canberra conference of -senior Australian aud New Zealand Cabinet Ministers draws nearer interest in the principal matters to bo discussed is griming. Naturally, in view of all that has happened i;i the past two years, the future security of the Pacific will occupy pride of place, and Mr Nash's suggestion of a Pacific: Island federation under the trusteeship of the United States, France, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand may, emerge from its present rather nebulous form into something concrete. In the meantime it is. hardly fair to say. much about Mr Nash's proposal; it offers so little on which to base argument. As it stands, however, it would seem to suggest a somewhat involved control which might ultimately defeat its own ends, but unquestionably it offers an excellent basis for discussion. Isolationism for this part of the world has gone forever. The war has proved conclusively that a unified front againsfpossible aggression in future is absolutely essential. New Zealand and Australia, neither individually nor jointly, could offer much resistance to any powerful nation seeking to dominate either, and both dominions must therefore rely on some outside source for protection. As the most obvious aggressor is Japan, so the most obvious defender is America, who has unquestionably saved the Pacific in this war. America, therefore, will require naval and air bases throughout the Pacific, possibly even - in this country, and if we are largely to depend on her for our security these bases must be made available to her, s'o long as there is no question of transfer of sovereignty. It is in matters of this nature that ix trusteeship, such as suggested by Mr Nash, could do invaluable work. The foundation of the federation's activities would be the Atlantic Charter than which no fairer basis could be found, and its qualifications would ! be extended, so far as practicable, to the smaller Pacific islands. There are mauy other matters to be discussed at the Canberra conference, all of greater or lesser importance, but it is safe to say 'that the deliberations on the allimportant topic of Pacific security will be the most closely followed, and it is gratifying to learn that the surjjeet is going beyond the phase of- mere individual comment, and vis to be-seriously tackled by Government representatives. There are many* difficulties ahead, but with all agreed on the imperativeness of reaching agreement these should be smoothed out, and if decisions are reached which promise definite security the post-war progress of the Pacific should be steady, peaceful, and prosperous. ' - v