The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, December 3, 1943. FUTURE OF THE PACIFIC.

Grey River Argus, 3 December 1943, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, December 3, 1943. FUTURE OF THE PACIFIC.

If implemented, the aims to which Britain, the United States and China have in the Pacific been committed by their leaders at the conference just hold under the shadow of the ancient Pyramids, mean a greater relative change in this hemisphere than has yet been envisaged in the other hemisphere as the result of the war. Briefly though they may have stated those aims, the three leaders, in the American language, have “said a mouthful.” " The statement is variously canvassed in the British and American press, but it generally is inferred that Japan is to be shorn to the dimensions of her insular possessions of a half century ago. She would then figure as she was before she began to acquire any empire. She would lose Formosa, Korea, Manchuria, and the Pescadores Islands, as well as her mandated islands, the Carolines, the Marshalls, and the Mariannes-; not to mention the territories she has occupied since entering this war, including the Chinese seaboard, Hong Kong, Indo-China, the Philippines, Malaya,. Burma. Sumatra, .Java, Borneo, and other East Indies: New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, Wake and Guam islands.

It may at the outset be said that hone of these territories is more deserving of liberation then Ko-; rea. The Allied decision in this, instance, if it can be made good is! altruistic no less than politic. To I deprive Japan of Manchuria, it is I suggested, may induce M. Stalin’ to drop neutrality towards Japan 1 and co-operate in. her defeat. In recovering Malaya, [Burma and! Hong Kong, North Borneo, the ’ Solomons, New Britain and New 4reland, and New Guinea there is a special interest for Britain. She has with the United States, an economic interest, apart from the question of justice in restoring the East Indies and West Papua to the Dutch. The Americans have their special sphere in the. Philippines. The Allies disavow any desire for territorial expansion. They look on. the deprivation of the Japanese of the mandated islands, the Carolines, Marshalls, and Mariannes, and indeed all the territories they have occupied since 1914, as a means towards preservation, of .peace. Meantime the United States is uuoffi.cia.lly nominated as Japan’s successor in the mandated areas. This, it is suggested by the American press, would mean eventual. freedom, the Philippines being quoted as an example, because they have been promised eventual independence. But in practice, mandates have amounted nearly to possession, and if Japan has used mandated areas for military purposes, she has scarcely been alone in so doing. In punishing Japan, the Allies will require to look ahead further than, they did after the last Avar. It might be a mistake too narrowly to coop up a population so vast as that of Japan. Not only must it enlarge the already great scope which the leading United Nations had before this Avar, but it might make retention later of the wider influence difficult if population did not grow in prop.?/lion. The Japanese have proven exploiters of subject peoples, but in this they first copied others, and then exceeded their mentors. It is only since Manchuria was annexed that Japan defied those mentors, whose acquiescence in earlier expansion was at least a consideration. It is meantime a reasonable objective to seek Japan’s surrender, but it may be. anticipated that she will not bfinally deprived of economic. opportunity, even if she is deprived of means of military initiative It might not be to the interest of the United Nations generally did, the Avar result in ovn or two of their number gaining a new ascendancy. However, the immediate issue is not that of peace but of war. Usually peace terms are actually formulated, during war, and that is what is now going' on side by side with Avar. The Allies demonstrate by their agreements the conviction tha + whatever may be the peace decision, they are certain of. the Avar decision