PACIFIC PROBLEMS

Otago Witness, Issue 3525, 4 October 1921, Page 51

PACIFIC PROBLEMS

SIR JOHN FINDLAY’S VIEWa AMERICAN AND JAPANESE NAVEEa (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, October 1. “Public attention in the United States ia focussed on the Washington Conference,” said Sir John Findlay, who returned by the Niagara yesterday. “I am sorry to say, however, that so far os I could ascertain the prevailing feeling among prominent men is one of depressed outlook.” This is mainly due, observed Sir John, to the recognition that neither in Japan nor America does there prevail that spirit of concession, friendliness, and trust or of reasonable selfsacrifice which is essential to any real advance being made toward the goal and aim of disarmament. He said that when on aia way to Great Britain he met thoughtful Americans who were filled with alarm at the attitude of the Japanese. In l-ondon, too, he found many prominent Americana who, though not in the least given to hysteria, shared the feelings of them friends in the United States. Fie said this waa not to be wondered at. America had only recently realised what hostage she gave when she wrested from Spain the Philippine Archipelago. By this step she extended her territory 7000 miles into the Pacific, and she obtained possession of islands larger than ihe whole of New Zealand, with a population of some 10.C00.000, which were only some 1500 miles from Japan. America had failed to fortify Guam, which might have been fortified ab the close of the American-Spanish war at a comparatively small cost, and made practically impregnable against naval attack. This would have made the American position in the Philippines secure. In the ab. sc nee of this protection tile Philippines, said Sir John, on the admission of the best American naval authorities, were there for the Japanese just for the asking. To permit Japan or any other Power to wrest such a possession from America would be such a degradation to the national pride and honour of the great Republic that he had no doubt she would regard a struggle for their recovery as absolutely essential to her national prestige. This, it had to bo admitted, was one of ihe main reasons for the feverish rate at which America was adding to her navy. On the other hand, America's navy expansion was being made the reason why Japan should increase her navy. These two countries were now building 20 of the greatest warships the world had ever seen, embodying every lesson which the battle of Jutland had taught natal experts. The present aspect was one of a race of armaments, rather than one of disarmament. No one, he said, could travel through America without realising how intense waa the feeling in respect of this matter there. Sir John said he could not speak from any personal contact of feeling in Japan, but one of the greatest living authorities on this question, Mr Hector G. Bywater, in his book just published entitled “Sea Power in the Pacific,” which is a study of tlie American and Japanese naval problem, indicated quite clearly that feeling in Japan was as strong as it was in America, if not stronger. Sir John suggested that in _ the event of the Washington Conference failing to arrive at conclusions and agreements which will bring about a practical step in the direction of disarmament, there should be an alliance of all the white Englishspeaking nations of the world not for offensive purposes, but to preserve the white man’s right to maintain his standard and ideals of civilisation against any inundation from the East. Sir John said he had discussed this topic more than once with Mr Massey, and, although they differed on several essential points, he had found that Mr Massey was alive to every point of interest affecting thisftcountry. He said he was certain Mr Massey could be trusted to support that cause which w 7 ouid best protect the safety and permanent future well-being of the dominion. Describing his impressions of his visit to England, Sir John Findlay said that he h,ad been gratified to find among many prominent men and women in Great Britain an alert interest in the whole problem of the future of the Pacific. He addressed the ’ students at Oxford, and Rhodes scholars I from practically all parts of the world had attended, and after the address they had asked questions which indicated a note of anxiety as to what was likely to happen in the Pacific in the lifetime of the present generation. Among other circles Sir John said he found a disposition to ignore the question. The unsettled conditions of the people, due largely to economic problems and the Irish question, left them in such a position that they were content to ignore any element of peril or of naval conflict iu southern s-ras. 40? his section of the RiitisH community is not indifferent to our future,’' said Sir John, “but I found on investigation that there was a desire to avoid adding to the cares and problems of Great Britain at ihe present time one which lies geographically so far away from them. However, between my last visit to Great Britain 10 years ago and the one T have just completed, the problem of the Pacific has become much more prominent in the minds of nearly all thoughtful people I mot.” Sir John expressed the opinion that much more attention would he devoted >n affairs in the Pacific in the future than had been the case for years, and he said that once existing pressing problems in Great Britain liad~ been handled successfully he had no doubt interest in matters overseas would loom large in the public eye.