The Hawera Star. MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1925. PEACE IN THE PACIFIC.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1925, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1925. PEACE IN THE PACIFIC.

Delivered every evening by 3 o’clock in Hawera. Manaia, Normanby, Okalawa, Elthaip, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awafcuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakaraara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Road, and Ararata.

With the laudable intention of promoting friendship, understanding, and commercial intercourse among the nations of the Pacific, an American legislator has proposed an international conference for this ocean. His first scheme wbs for a gathering of white peoples, but, now that exception has been taken to that, lie is willing to leave the way open for China and Japan to come in. If the importance of the suggestion were to be measured by its chances of being taken up by the United States. House of Representatives as a whole, it could be dismissed in a single sentence. But Mr. Britten undoubtedly spoke soundly when he remarked that “any conference to consider the promotion of the industrial, economic, and political problems affecting Pacific coast countries must go further towards promoting a friendly feeling ( than the expenditure of a million dollars in any other direction.’’ , A hundred years ago. it could be said with perfect truth that trade followed the flag; but trade is no longer national. Commerce has taken the whole world as its field, and to-day the nations are closer together in the everyddy business of life than ever they have been hitherto. It may be possible to keep New Zealand and Australia “white”; we believe it will be. But it is quite unthinkable that the British Dominions in the South Pacific should seek to wrap round themselves a mantle of isolation, and to stand apart from the general life of the world. Our position in this country is different from that of America; or Japan, or China, in that we are units in the great British Commonwealth, which circumstance will always draw our hearts to Euroxie. England and Scotland, Wales and Ireland, are “Home” to thousands who have never been out of New Zealand. To them a political flare-up in the Balkans is of moment not for any direct bearing it may have on the Dominion, but because of its probable effect on Britain and British affairs. We are not tied to Britain’s apron-strings—we prefer to think of ourselves as separate nations withih a nation —blit if any danger threatens the Homeland, she can count on our aid. That is the spirit of Britons the world over, the spirit, indeed, that has carried our speech and our customs to the uttermost ends of the earth. It explains New Zealand’s interest in European affairs, which to other Pacific peoples may sometimes appear quite irrational. Nevertheless, we cannot afford to ignore the international position nearer our own door. Tt may be centuries yet before the Atlantic loses its pre-eminent position;

but nothing is surer than that the focus of world affairs is tending westward, and that what the Mediterranean has been and the North Atlantic is, the Pacific one day will be. Men talk lightly of the next war, and say that it will be between the white peoples and the yellow. Please God that war may never come; but it is inevitable that white and yellow must be thrown more and more together in this ocean whose waves wash the shores of over half the human race. In addition to Mr. Britten’s proposal for a PanPncific conference, to-day’s cables refer to the forthcoming Australian and New Zealand cruise of the United States navy, one of the main purposes of which is to introduce officers and men to the seas in which much of their future policing work must lie. In the present state of the world, the maintenance of naval defence forces is essential for peace; but the enthusiasm with which the cry of limitation of armaments has been taken up by almost every nation indicates the trend of public feeling. However, civilisation has not yet brought us to the point where nations can live in perpetual harmony.- There are still differences, differences that may be intensified as white and yellow rub shoulders more closely in business dealings; but the chance is offered to all Pacific peoples of demonstrating to the nations of Europe that differences may be adjusted, and that even international disputes may be settled by mutual understanding. If East and West meet in armed encounter the bloodshed is likely to be on a scale which will dwarf all else in the world’s history. It is with a most deepseated desire to avert such a catastrophe that supporters of Mr. Britten’s proposed conference will hope for something definite to come of it. Progress must necessarily be slow; but if the peoples of the Pacific have the wish for peace—and where is the man to-day who wishes war?—then peace will be appreciably more certain. If only a League of Pacific Nations could enthrone for all time the ideal of pacific settlement of disputes, this restless ocean of ours would be well named—and the weary old world would lift up its heart in thankfulness.