PEACE IN PACIFIC

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1940, Page 2

PEACE IN PACIFIC

EYES ON UNITED STATES Any first-hand survey will reveal that peace in the Pacific is no longer for the peaceful. Peace is guaranteed only to those able to command it, says Mr Roy W. Howard, editor of the New York World-Telegram, in an article in that journal. Mr. Howard recently visited New Zealand as the head of a party of American journalists in the course of an air tour of the Antipodes and Far East. All eyes in the East are turned questioningly on the United States, he says. Credit is freely given to the United States for the maintenance of such of the status quo as remains intact in the Far East. The American Fleet, without a hostile gesture, has by its obvious preparedness for any eventuality, contributed to limiting the Oriental trouble zone. When it was reported that the American fleet was leaving Pearl Harbour for the Atlantic, morale among the European peoples of the East sank to an all-time low level. On the other hand, announcement of the Canadian-American mutual defence programme sent confidence soaring. It was argued that if a deal could be worked out to afford mutual protection for British-American interests in the Atlantic it must furnish precedent for the protection of similar, interests in the Pacific. The fact that the mere presence of the American Fleet in the Pacific exerted such a great influence, even before there was anything approaching a mutual defence agreement between Britain and America, has kindled hope for an entire new era in the Pacific, if and as the two nations strengthen their mutual defence plans. The fact that, even with five-day connections through Pan-American Airways, China and the Antipodes are very remote places to the average American, is something difficult for British and Dutch in the Far East to realise.

These colonists, knowing the extent to which America is dependent upon them for many of the necessary vitamins of our industrial life, find it hard to understand popular indifference in the United States toward what happens to these necessary sources of supply. They believe that having no territorial ambitions of their own, Americans are, slightly unimaginative as regards Japan, but that any move by Tokio calculated to curtail necessaries or infringe established rights will produce rapid repercussions. Furthermore, they believe the Japanese think likewise. Under cover of the delay since Japan first began making demands, both British and Dutch have made tremendous strides in defence.

HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE As to Hong Kong, the British promise nothing but a finish fight. Singapore, they are certain, is capable of withstanding a long siege—ample to permit relief from points where it is now held in reserve. The Dutch have largely concentrated their defence on the Island of which they have converted into a bristling fortress. While they admit that these defences might not be able to repel a mass attack by the entire Japanese Navy, they count on making any such attack so costly as to give pause to Japan’s most aggressive militarists. In addition, there is ample evidence that the Dutch have determined that any territory lost will be rendered valueless to the Japanese for years to come and have planned for the complete destruction of oil properties, wells, machinery and supplies in the event of invasion. The Dutch hope of a peaceful arrangement with Japan, even yet, -rests upon the belief that in her present great need Japan can better afford to negotiate peacefully for some part of the Dutch resources than to risk their complete loss foi- the duration of the war.

The weak spot in the colonial situation in 4he Far East to-day is IndoChina, which has been rendered militarily impotent by the collapse of France. Ostensibly, Japan’s objective in Indo-China is to attack Chiang Kai-shek from the south. The opinion is general however, that a mbre important objective is the seizure of Thailand (Siam), which is incapable of any resistance. With that in their hands, the Japanese would be able to establish bases from which it would be possible to launch an aerial attack upon Singapore from the north. It is to forestall the possibility of such an assault that .every Briton in the Orient hopes to see the Anglo-American mutual defence pact extended to the Pacific.

, PATRIOTIC FUND £ s. d. Previously acknowledged 5312 11 3 Mrs F. W. Shallcrass, 6th instalment 3ZR' appeal 10 0 £5315 11 3