WAR IN THE PACIFIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 September 1928, Page 5

WAR IN THE PACIFIC

A FUTURE POSSIBILITY. EYES ON CHINA. FRENCH. MINISTER’® VIEW. (United Pre» Association—lty Electric Telegrapn Copyright.) j f Australian Frees Association.) j Received 10,20 . a.-m. to-day. PARIS, Sept.. 19. I M. Sarrant, Minister for Interior, foreshadows -a future war in the Pacific, unless there is a reconciliation between the antagonistic interest affected. In an interview he stated that the Pacific had become a world problem, the solution of which involved even the future of .civilisation. “Let. there be no mistake,” he said, “the Pacific is the theatre where there will be staged, at no distant period, the most formidable conflict, civilisation lias ever knoivn and besides which the late war will appear as a mere skirmish. For years the rivalry in the east has been between Britain and .Russia, -with Spain holding -a few .straggling colonies. Russia dreamed of seizing Asia and looked with envv upon Indi'a, which is still the central pillar on which the fraternity of the* (States of the British Commonwealth elect to maintain the mastery. Britain must absorb and penetrate the neighbouring ‘States necessary- fbr the protection of India. While Britain shows masses of population in Asia under her control, with Australia, New Zealand and Singapore as bases, Russia ha s a trump card in the trans-Siberian railway and' the United States has a most valuable base in the Philippines, while France possesses a balcony- overlooking the Pacific. Thus the Powers are concentrating on the Pacific from every side, with eyes on China with its vast markets, inexhaustible mineral deposits,' hundreds of thousands of 'acres of oil lakes, and an endless supply of labour. ‘ 1 Among 'the rivals -of the western world, it is a -case of first come, first served, with the solitary- exception of the United -States, which only asks for an open door. The- relations between Russia and Japan have changed since 1904. Both believe that the Unified States regards them'with animosity. Is it forbidden, therefore, to imagine Russia and China assuring Japan of a continental outlet for her ’population, thus allow-ing all tihree to look less timidly at a possible European conflict. Cannot we consider the hypothesis of Russia and Japan solid in resistance to the United States, fearing an An-glo-.Amer-ican-French coalition in the Pacific and dreaming of a fraternity .of arms against the white races? Russia may then attack Germany- and Poland ,in order to provide the necessary- European incident capable of retaining the French and British fleets in Europe and thus preventing the Frlancc-British fledts from, jumping America in the Pacific war, or defending their own possessions in.the Pacific-. ”