PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3832, 23 August 1927, Page 10

PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

THE PAN-PACJFIG UNIOX. All peoples’ or nationalities in and around the Pacific Ocean should be interested in the work of the Pan-Pacific Union, the headquarters of which are at Honolulu, Hawaii, the chief of the Sandwich Islands, the most important group in the North Pacific. The union issues a monthly paper called the Bulletin of the Pan-Pacific Union, and under which heading it states that it is an unofficial organisation and the agent of no particular country's government, but with the goodwill of all in bringing the peoples of the Pacific together into a better understanding with the object of promoting a co-operative effort for the promotion of all things of common interest to the great Pacific area. To show how important this great movement is and how it is making an appeal to the minds of far-seeing and highly placed and educated men, let us look at the names of the well-known men who are the honorary presidents of the union. They are: Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States; S. M. Bruce, Prime Minister of Australia; J. G. Coates, Prime Minister of New Zealand; W. W. Yen. chi. of the Executive of China; W, L. Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada; Prince I. Tokugawa, President of the House of Peers. Japan; his Majesty Prachatipok, King of Siam; and P. Ellas Calles. President of Mexico. The chief aims of the union are given on page two of its monthly bulletin, and are in number seven. Here they are below.

Some of the younger members of the rising generation may not understand all the terms used in the seven announcements, but they can look up their dictionaries for meanings, which is a wise practice, or they can appeal to their elders or their teachers for enlightenment. 1. To bring together from time to time, in friendly conference, leaders in all lines of thought and action in the Pacific area, that they may become better acquainted; to assist in pointing them toward co-operative effort for the advancement of those interests that are common to all the peoples. 2. To bring together ethical leaders from every Pacific land who will meet for the study of problems of fair dealings and ways to advance international justice in the Pacific area, that misunderstanding my be cleared. 3. To bring together from time to time scientific and other leaders from Pacific lands who will present the great vital Pan-Pacific scientific problems, including those of race and population, that must be confronted, and, if possible, solved by the present generation of Pacific peoples and those to follow. 4. To follow out the recommendations of the scientific and other leaders in the encouragement of all scientific research work of value to Pacific peoples; in the establishment of a research institution where such need seems to exist, or in aiding in the establishment of such institutions.

5. To secure and collate accurate information concerning the material resources of Pacific lands; to study the ideas and opinions that mould public opvjion among the peoples of the several

Pacific races, and to bring men together who can understanding!}’ discuss these in a spirit of fairness that they may point out a true course of justice in dealing with them internationally. 0. To bring together in round-table discussion in .every Pacific land those of all races resident therein who desire to bring about a better understanding and co-operative effort among the peoples and races of the Pacific for their common advancement, material and spiritual. 7. To bring all nations and peoples about the Pacific Ocean into closer friendly commercial contact and relationship. To aid and assist those in all Pacific communities to better understand each other, and, through them, spread abroad about the Pacific the friendly spirit of inter-racial co-operation. In the paper are published many articles bj thoughtful and earnest men of high attainments in their own countries bordering the Pacific. These articles I arc of the highest interest to us in New Zealand and to all peoples in and about the Pacific. For young people it is important to know that a “ Young Folk’s Union” has just been formed and ‘is now operating in Honolulu. This fact is mentioned in the paper, and the works and aims of the association are given in the bulletin of June, 1027.

“ SHOW A.” “ Showa ” is a strange word to our ears; it is Japanese, and means the “era of enlightening peace.” A most interesting description of the spirit of Showa was given at the Pan-Pacific Good Relations Club, Tokyo, Japan, by the director of the Pan-Pacific Union. The director, from his knowledge of the subject and its style and tone, is evidently a Japanese gentleman.

“ This is now the era of bright shining peace,” was the message I received from the captain of my vessel on Christmas morning, as we sailed away in the early dawn from Moji.

The Emperor Taisho had passed away at midnight, and at- dawn on Christmas Day the new ruler of Japan chose as the name of his era, “ Showa,” and began his reign of enlightening peace. What a wonderful message, to the world on Christmas Day, the most hopeful message given to man since that other Christmas near 2000 years ago. “ Showa ” was the message that I took with me from Japan. I will carry it ever to preach to all mankind about this Pacific, our ocean, and so far I have found all races about our ocean glad to receive anew this wonderful message of hope and peace. It is my desire and hope that the PanPacific Union will make this Japanese word known around the world as the watchword of the Pacific. It has come at the psychological moment in the history of our civilisation of the East anil of the West. Let the old and the new world ideas unite here in the Pacific under this magic word of hope and promise, “ showa.” Let this era live forever.

To my captain the meaning of showa was “ bright, shining peace," and so I think of it. The first foreigner who crossed the Pacific so thought of it, and for that reason gave “ our ocean ” the name it bears. The academic translation, “ enlightening peace,” paints a new rainbow of hope in the skies of the Pacific, but to me, that first simple translation, “ the era of bright, shining peace,” seems most happy; it is simple. In China I found the people, north and south, longing for bright shining peace. All wished to unite, and all but the war lords themselves wished all armies abolished. The desire everywhere seemed to be that the conservatives of both sides get together and give China bright, shining, and enlightening peace. In Peking and in Canton the cry was the same: “We are one for enlightening peace in China.” The day when a Pan-Pacific United States will loom up as a great possibility is drawing nearer. The idea is not so chimerical as it was even three months ago, when I dared suggest its fulfilment while addressing the Japan American Society with Dr Griffis, who

in his lifetime has seen things almost as hopeful happen in the Pacific. Z It does seem that the Pacific, about the shores of which live more than half the peoples of the world, should do its own police work in this ocean of ours, and preserve here forever an era of “ showa ” in its truest sense. I know now that the Chinese people would gladly see a Pan-Pacific pact, in. which every country about our ocean was a member, including all states and colonies, for with such a pact we would quickly be educated to the idea of a United States of t-he Pacific, or at least a people’s understanding that would bring us together as a unit for our own material development, and a true patriotism of the Pacific; for after all it is our Pacific that will in future have to feed the world, or at least supply the shortage that other countries afar oil will kno' and which it will be our duty to relieve, and only in peace can this be done. A United States of the Pacific will come in the minds of the people first, then the Governments will begin to appoint ministers of friendship, and will be begun an understanding that will fix forever a true patriotism of the Pacific, a patriotism that is even nowbeing born in the hearts of so many of us for this great ocean of ours, it is our ocean, and we have named it Pacific.

Wherever I went in Formosa, the Philippines, North and South China, in Korea and in Japan proper, I found groups of leading men waiting to discuss the PanPacific movement, ready to organise to greater effort. Everywhere the leadership of Prince Tokugawa as a minister of international friendship was recognised and commented on. What he and Viscount Inouye have done in Tokyo they feel can be done throughout China and the Pacific. In Canton they are at work and in Shanghai, for in Shanghai has begun a movement to bind the entire republic together through, a great PanChina movement, and I was sent to Peking to ask the co-operation that is splendidly forthcoming. It was not forgotten in China that, while the bitterest political enemies in America, Henry Cabot Lodge and then President Wilson, worked together to create the Pan-Pacific Union, in China, Sun Yat Sen and the then President of China, whom Dr Sun hated as an usurper, served together on a Pan-Pacific Educational and Good Roads Committee that is still doing wonderful work toward binding China together. In Korea the Koreans, the Japanese, and the foreigners are laying plans for a united Pan-Pacific Association of Korea, and in the Kansai district of Japan. Kyoto, and Osaka have already organised chapters of the PanPacific Association of Kansai, with some 40 organisations enrolled, and Kobe is being invited to unite. At the first great gathering Prince Tokugawa and Viscount Inouye will be invited to attend and grant the charter. 1 found the work thriving in Formosa, where we have many Pan-Pacific workers. In fact, wherever I found a man who had attended one of our Pan-Pacific conferences, I found about him a group of Pan-Pacific workers. In China Pan-Pacific organisations are found even in th university faculties, and among the students, for China is planning a great national Pan-Pacitic drive. Everywhere in the Philippines. China, and Japan,'Pan-Pacific Women's Clubs are being organised to send delegates to the womens conference in 1925. Korea hopes to call a Pan-Pacific conference in time in Seoul, and China asks for the Pan-Pacific Medical Conference following that in Honolulu in 1929. The Chinese Chambers of Commerce, native and foreign, are taking an active part in the work before the Pan-Pacific • Commercial Conference in Los Angeles in 1928, and here again the influvnee of those who have returned from other Pan-Pacific conferences is proving invaluable. The student bodies are organising junior Pan-Pacific Clubs, and plans are on foot for round-the-Pacific debating teams, composed of students from Pacific universities. Everywhere I went in Asia I found an arousing Pan-Pacific spirit, looking toward the bringing together in the closest peace and ' armony and co-operative effort all peoples and races of the Pacific. Everywhere is the spirit of shown. Japan has given the greatest of gifts to the people of the Pacific, an inspiration and an ideal to cherish and work for, " showa —— enlightening peace.” Far, far greater to attain and deserve such a decoration as “ showa ” than to win the Nobel prize. May there be a Merit of Showa that we may all strive to obtain through our efforts toward enlightening peace in the Pacific. May it endure forever. The Pan-Pacific Union bows low in respect to “ showa ! ”