THE ASIATIC MENACE.

New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914, Page 9

THE ASIATIC MENACE.

SIR I. HAMILTON'S SPEECH,

COMMENT IN BRITAIN.

NEWSPAPER CRITICISM. [from OUB OWN correspondent.] I London, Slay 22. Hot OH Sir . lan Hamilton lias received many knocks for his outspoken speech, made at tho Auckland Town Hall, on the meeting-place of continents," ho has undoubtedly done a service in disclosing to British readers tho reality of the Australasian outlook on tho Eastern question. *ew spoeohes of late have evoked so much comment, for, as tho Dublin Herald sa>3 ' " the extraordinary preparations for war which are being made by both Ausra la and New Zealand have been sometlung of a puzzle to readers of the newspapers hero at Home." an' l!!o outlo ° J considors Sir lan's note KriSW*? 0DB ' and adda: In tho iaeiiic the chances are that the future bntwp! 0 a e . clslvo stru S? le for supremacy between white race an 3 yellow in thaf Part of tho world, but it need not necessarily be a world-conflict. For Australia and New Zealand .tho prospect is fraught ith anxiety, and thoy are not prepared to wait until tho Asiatic is ready to strike ,'-' re putting their defences in order." | ihe Spectator says: "The Admiralty assumes the Anglo-Japaneso alliance to be sufficient protection for Australasia, assures Australians and New Zealanders that they are safe, and exhorts them to i devote their naval enthusiasm to the support of tho Imperial squadron some thousands of miles away. But it is essential that tho Dominions should havo confiI dence, and this they havo not got, whether tho Admiralty be right or not." , he Glasgow News: "Those who are within the danger zone, or very near it, are not to bo blamed if they prefer to take what to others differently placed ,may seem to bo unduly long views, and lay their precautions accordingly. There is a British Empire awakening necessary in this connection. There is too much of tho taken-for-granted attitude in relation to the continuance oi things as they momentarily are." The Sunderland Echo: "Many people who bring cool .and well-balanced minds to the study of tho facts aro convinced that the Japanese alliance is the finest arrangement conceivable— the Japanese, with whom in time we shall have grave trouble, perhaps even in India.' 7

The Nation, on the other harfd, deplores the general's "biasing indiscretion," which, it says, " was an incitement to coloniaj alarms. Wo attach little value to the Japanese alliance. No one wishes the grotesque relationship of Italy and Austria— arm against eacn other in spite of their alliance—to be refieated in the Pacific. Decency ought to orbid such speeches as this by an Imperial officer."