PACIFIC PROBLEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17909, 11 October 1921, Page 7

PACIFIC PROBLEMS.

EXPANSION FOR JAPAN.

"RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX."

SPEECH BY MR. W. M. HUGHES.

In the course of a speech in the Commonwealth House of Representatives a few days ago, Mr. W. M. Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, referred to the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which, together with Pacific problems, was the main reason for the summoning of the conference. He dealt with the origin of the treaty, and sought to show that it involved no danger of conflict with America He quoted from his speeches at the conference to show that he had advocated the renewal of the treaty on terms satisfactory to America.

"On the second day of the conference," he said, "I bad thrown out two suggestions, one urging Mr. Lloyd George to invite the great nations of the world, in particular America, Japan, and France, to ,a conference to discuss disarmament, and the other suggesting that America and Japan should be invited to a conference in order to discuss the terms of a tripartite treaty to take the place of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty, or, failing a tripartite treaty, to ascertain from America what form a treaty between Japan and Britain should take to be acceptable to her. Negotiations on these lines were undertaken, but it became obvious as these proceeded that the suggested conference must consider not only the Anglo-Japanese Treaty but many other questions —the 'open door' in China and immigration, for these questions are naturally related to the AngloJapanese Treaty, to naval rivalry in the Pacific, and so to disarmament. As the discussion proceeded it was found impossible to treat one phase effectively without dealing with all, and so the debate covered the whole field of Pacific problems and of disarmiment. Before the negotiations with America and Japan had resulted in any definite conclusion, President Harding's invitation to a disarmament conference was received, and the invitation was brought without delay to the conference, and was at once unanimously accepted." Mr. Hughes went on to explain the efforts made to secure a preliminary conference to discuss Pacific problems. Members of the conference differed widely on many matters, but on disarmament and the preservation of the world's peace there was complete, and striking unanimity. Referring to the problem of the Pacific and Australia's relations to Japan, the Prime Minister said: " Do not forget that unless Japan is content to be stagnant in a backwater she must have room to expand.

Answer Must be Found. " This is the problem of the Pacific, the modern riddle of the Sphinx, for which we must find an answer. Assuredly we shall not solve this problem by turning our backs upon it or by ignoring it. These things are real. They are not mere words, not such stuff as dreams are made of, and they cannot be dissolved by words, nor even by conferences, unless these recognise facts, and are prepared to consider Japan's point of view, as well as that of other nations.

" Talk about disarmament is idle unless the causes of naval armaments are removed. It was for these reasons that I so strongly advocated a preliminary conference to discuss Pacific questions." Mr. Hughes pointed out that the proposed Pacific Conference bad been abandoned in deference to the wishes of America. He explained how it had been discovered by reference to the Lord Chancellor that the combined Notfc of Britain and Japan to the League of Nations did not constitute a denunciation of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty, and therefore the treaty would stand until 12 months after either side gave notice.

Beating the Air. He proceeded: " As I see it, it is impossible to discuss disarmament without raising the principal phases of the Pacific question, and we are vitally interested in many of these. Australia will not be directly represented at a conference at which, if Pacifio problems are to be seriously discussed, questions vital to its welfare will be discussed and possibly decided. It was a recognition of this fact and of the settled determination of the Australian people to stand fast by their White Australia ideals to preserve them, if possible, by peace that impelled me to insist so strenuously on a preliminary Pacific conference. Australia has much at stake. Peace in the Pacific means more to her than to any other nation, yet until the causes of war are removed talk about peace cannot be more than beating the air. " Frankly, I see no hope of disarmament until the Pacific problems to which I have referred are settled, and this can only be done by a modus vivendi satisfactory to Japan, America, and Australasia.'

Peace in the Pacific means peace for the Empire and the world," said Mr. Hughes.