THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3832, 23 August 1927, Page 50

THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS.

MOST VITAL IN THE PACIFIC. An American visitor of note to Dunedin just now is Dr G. H. Blakeslee (professor of history and international relations al <i c r h University, Massachusetts, U.b.A.). He has just arrived in New Zealand from Honolulu, where he represented America at the Conference of the Institute of 1 acific Relations, which only recently concluded. It is as an ambassador of his country that Dr Blakeslee is best known to the "world outside America. His work on international affairs has covered a wide range and he has represented the United States at a great many conferences and on numerous commissions. For many years he has by his writings, actively identified himself with international politics, combining the position of a university professor with that of editor of the Journal of International Relations and contributor to many reviews and magazines dealing with world affairs. In 1925 he was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Instiute of 1 acific Relations. He prepared reports on the German colonies in the 1 acific for the American Commission to negotiate peace in 1918-19 and was tech n ! ea , adviser to the American delegation at the Conference on the Limitation of Armaments in B ashington in 1921. He has occupied positions on American Foreign Affairs Commissions set up to investigate a gieat variety of problems, and his experience in the past decade has made his views and advice on international relations of Innc * C i U ar * nterc =f and great value. Tn 192t> he published a book entitled “The Recent, Foreign Policy of the United States, and his contributions to reco”nised journals would fill a, great many volumes. J

Our representative secured an intert icw with Dr Blakeslee on his arrival and although he had a great fund of information to impart on international affairs, he insisted on first expressing his appreciation of New Zealand hospitality and his special interest in Dunedin. ‘.’Since my arrival in Auckland,” he said. “ I have had an opportunity of experiencing the constant hospitality of New Zealanders. One cannot deny" that the right hand of fellowship is alwavs extended to the stranger. In New' Zealand it is a most noticeable and delightful fact.”

1 he picturesque beauty of New Zealand finds a keen admirer in Dr Blakeslee, who w’as greatly charmed with all he had seen on his trip from the north. “It is a particular pleasure to me to visit Dunedin, with -its traditions of religious settlement, ’ he said. His New England heart warmed to the subject of Dunedin’s interesting pioneer history.

’’ Otago,” said Dr Blakeslee, “ I find to be quite similar to the Pilgrim and Puritan settlements of New England, from which country I come. I have always been keenly interested in my reading of New Zealand history to find that the founder and pioneer settler of Dunedin was a Captain Cargill. Aly own grandmother was a Cargill, who traced her descent back to the Scottish Covenanters, and so, I presume that she is related to the founder of the Otago Province.”

PACIFIC AFFAIRS. Referring to the subject which has engrossed him for many years—Pacific affairs —Dr Blakeslee said that the world’s most difficult and acute problems in international relations were unquestionably those in the Pacific and the Near East. Europe was now apparently on the point of political stabilisation, but the most vital issues ol tho Pacific would doubtless remain tor years, if not decades to come.

“It is to the interest of all countries bordering the Pacific,” he said, “to study these international difficulties and take a part in attempting to bring about their settlement. 'ihc two most pressing problems relate to China and Japan? While China is divided politically, and is torn by civil war, ail thinking Chinese are de tnanding extensive concessions from the Powers, freedom in tariff matters, the abolition of “extraterritoriality” and the return of the municipal areas in the treaty ports, such as Shanghai, which the under the control of foreign Powers. The Chinese, in spite of civil war, are still able to inflict immense economic losses by means ot their boycotts, upon foreign nations who do not accede to their demands.

The chief issue in Japan, he continued, was economic—the apparent inability of the nation to increase its national wea'tli in iwoportion of its great annual increase in population. This problem affected the issues of immigration, industralisation, and relations with China. Such conferences as those at Honolulu, where representative men from all of these countries met in an entirely unofficial gathering, were a great help in presenting the actual facts in controversial issues, and especially in understanding and national sentiment of different countries and laying the basis for some method of settlement. “At- Honolulu,” he concluded, “it was notable that the Chinese group on the one hand, and the British and American groups, on the other, if they had had official authority, could have come to an agreement regarding all of the outstanding issues between China and the Powers.