WESTERN INFLUENCE IN FAR EAST SAID TO BE DECLINING

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 July 1950, Page 2

WESTERN INFLUENCE IN FAR EAST SAID TO BE DECLINING

AUCKLAND, July 3 (P.A.).—1l the West is hot careful, it will lose for ever its influence in the East. This is the opinion of Dr E. H. Pope and his wife, who returned by the Wanganella today after a six-month trip through Ceylon, Malaya, and Indonr esia. Dr Pope practised for 30 years in Palmerston North. The. trip was a holiday before his retirement. “There is a general belief in Malaya that European influence will be gone inside 10 years,” he said. “Throughout our time in the East, except in Ceylon, we felt that something big was stirring. The general unrest seemed to be coming to a head.” Dr Pope said that the campaign of the terrorists in Malaya seemed to be successful. The natives were “scared stiff” by the bandits and were afraid not to offer them food and succour. The country’s production was being seriously affected. The picture of Indonesia given by Dr Pope was even more disturbing. “The Europeans are getting out. Every departing ship is crammed.” Morale was falling and production decreasing.

“Indonesia has self-government and yet most of the people are illiterate. These people just don’t know how to govern themselves. If unscrupulous men get into office our worst fears may be realised. An Indonesian invasion of New Guuinea is a possibility.” _