PROBLEM OF THE EAST.

Mataura Ensign, 27 January 1911, Page 6

PROBLEM OF THE EAST.

♦ "ASPIRING TO WALK ALOk'E." SPEECH BY LORD CURZON. J3Y ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.-—COPYRIGHT. PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. LONDON, Jan. 2G. Lord Curzon, late Viceroy of India, in a rectorial address at Glasgow University, discussed the demand of the East for representative institutions. He stated that there iiad been an enormous c.mngo (hiring the last decade. The personal ruler still appealed to the Oriental; but where absolution was accompanied by defiance the national spirit was at last willing to borrow Western methods. This was a symptom of the reviving self-consciousness of the Oriental mind. Referring to the colored labor objections of Australia, South Africa, Canada and America, Lord Curzon said that these were not based on prejudice alone, but had economic justification. There was a danger lest it should attain serious proportions. JThe British, with their liberal and humanitarian ideas, should be leaders | against especially as the colored races within the Empire outnumbered the whites. The Eastern world seemed everywhere to involve a revived sense of national pride, coupled with resentment against foreigners. Possibly if foreign capital and protective instruments were withdrawn the East would incontinently collapse; but the East was aspiring to walk alone. Behind this desire was a certain feeling of injured self-respect. The East was unlikely to accept Christianity. China's future depended mainly on whether Parliamentary Government had a dissolvent effect inside the Empire. If China proved able to preserve her unity and organise industry and commerce she must become one of the greatest Powers. The self-centred and unwarlike character of the Chinese rendered.it impro'vible that they would utilise their rower for aggression. China contained enough unoccupied territory for double her present population. Japan's principal need ivas to preserve the national virtues of self-sac-rificing patriotism and simplicity—which keen observers reported to be in some jeopardy—also to check Socialistic doctrines among the industrial proletariat. Korea, Manchuria, and Saghalien would suffice Japan's surplus population for a while. If the present attitude of America's and Britain's overseas Dominions in prohibiting Asiatic immigration was maintained it might lead to conflict. The Philippine Islands were perilously near Japan, but within the tropics, where it was doubtful if Japanese would be able to settle and work.