SIR ANDREW RUSSELL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16186, 24 July 1923, Page 10

SIR ANDREW RUSSELL.

OUR COMMANDER fN CALIFORNIA DEFENCE OF THE PACIFIC SAX FRANCfSCO, Juno 15.—The arrival in .San Francisco, California, from New Zealand, of that distinguished military personage, .Major-General Sir Andrew Hamilton Russell, of Hastings, Hawke's Bay, commander of tho New Zealand Division in the World War, was an event which attracted unusual attention all along the Pacific coast, and Sir Andrew contributed considerably to furthering Anglo-Saxon sentiment in the United States, a fact which was prominently chronicled in tho daily press of Western America. Sir Andrew, who was passing through the Califomian metropolis on his way to the convention of the Empire Service League in London, was cordially welcomed by many American military figures of prominence at the garrisoned city of San Francisco, and, incidentally, he was especially interested in tho fortifications of tho city of tho Golden Gate, with its military reservation, known as the Presidio, hard by the entrance of the famous port Tho chief of the Empire Service League of New Zealand expressed the opinion that the Pacific Ocean is now recognised by the British Empire as tho world centre of activity. "The significance of tho fact that Great Britain is establishing a strong naval base at Singapore,"' said General Russell, "is that it reveals that the Pacific Ocean is now (he centre of world activitythe centre of world trade, and a possible centre of conflict. Singapore is Waled so as to protect tho entrance to tho Pacific from Europe just, as the Panama Canal fortifications of tho United States protect the western entrance of (he Pacific. Ocean. "The Pacific, bordered on by the lands of the Orient, whose citizens number a large proportion of the inhabitants of tho earth, is now demanding the attention of the world. Tho population of the Orient countries is rising like a flood behind a dam and an overflow is certain to come. To where shall these surplus people eo? Wo do not wish them to enter New Zealand any more than Californians wish them to flood their State. It is a serious problem of tho future, but unfortunately it has not yet reached an apprehensive stage with the people of New Zealand, although we over there sympathise with Californians in their problems of shutting out. races not capable of being assimilated. "New Zealand has many sympathies with California and the whole of the United States. After all, wo are a brother nation, speaking the same language and (he same stock to a largo extent. There never will bo a conflict between (he United Slates and the British Empire over an overt act of ours." On the day of his arrival in California Major-General Russell spent several hours in visiting tho chief points of interest, particularly tho Cliff House and tho l'residio, declaring himeslf much impressed with the beauties of San Francisco and (7:e Bay. Ho especially admired Ihe wonderful re-building of Sari I rancisco alter its memorable dost ruelion by earthquake and firo in 1906. Reverting to tho international sentiment, Sir Andrew said: "We watch the United States very closely in New Zealand, largely because it is nearer than England, and wo are at present wondering about, the success of the prohibition law of this country. We have a class of 'dries' who point to tho dry law of tho United States as a success, and our 'wets' prove by the United States that prohibition would bring a great calamity upon New Zealand if tried there., As yet. we are just observers.'' Under the caption, "Problems of the Pacific," (he San Francisco Clyroiriclo gave prominence to an editorial anenr the visit of tho New Zealand General to (ho United States.—Auckland Star correspondent).