THE PAN-PACIFIC UNION

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1932, Page 9

THE PAN-PACIFIC UNION

PLEA FOR UNDERSTANDING

EXPERIENCES AT CONFERENCE.

QUALITIES OF AMERICAN PEOPLE

A pica for greater understanding among the peoples of the Pacific was made by Dr. W. P. I’. Gordon, Stratford, in an address to Eltham business men yesterday. Dr. Gordon also had something to sav regarding American’s. “The Pan-Pacific Union” was the subject of Dr. W. P. P- Gordon’s address at the monthly luncheon of Eltham business men yesterday. Mr. T. B. Crump presided over a good attendance Dr. Gordon said that the title of his address was somewhat of a misnomer, as he intended to give a talk on his experiences during a trip to Hawaii in 102.9, to a PanJPaeific surgical conference. , ~ New Zealanders should have considerable interest in Hawaii, said t e speaker, because it was the hub of the Pacific, but more particularly because Captain Cook, who had claimed New Zealand as a part of the British Empire, had been killed there. Honolulu was a great place for a holiday, and, providing the bank account would stand it, was an ideal spot for such a trip, lhe population of the islands was the mos cosmopolitan, perhaps, of any place in the world, and numbered 340,000. The “crossing” of the Chinese and Hawaiian races had produced a good specimen of manhood. 'Sugar and pineapple were the chief exports of the island, ana it was in these industries that the greater part of the population was involved. JAPANESE ON SURGERY. Dr. Gordon discoursed on his experiences at the surgical conference, mentioning particularly the public lectures given every week by eminent authorities. 'He made particular mention of a lecture by a Japanese authority on surgery, the lecture being illustrated by a film of an operation on a tumor of the skull. Every detail was shqwn, even to the lifting of the flap oi the skull, and from a technical point of view the item was extremely interestTouching on the Pan-Pacific Union, Dr. Gordon said its chief aims and dbjects were to bring together prominent people in the Pacific area, of all lines of thought, and to discuss world problems, particularly those affecting the Pacific islands and countries, and for their common advancement. It was really a miniature League of Nations of the Pacific, and it would ; be realised that in times like these it was an organisation requiring the warm support of Pacific people. When the history of the present generation was written, said Dr. Gordon, he felt that the outstanding feature would be the discovery, just dawning on the world, that nations could not live unto themselves. It was our responsibility therefore to try to understand the “other man’s” point of view. To illustrate his point, Dr. Gordon went on to say that several years ago he had had the pleasure of listening to an address on such a subject by the late Mr. T. P. O’Connor, who had .instanced the Irish-American, who, although he had sufficient reason to be prejudiced against the English, could recognise the better qualities in Englishmen. The same applied to the English* men who visited America with an open mind. LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. Most of the world’s troubles to-day were due to the lack of understanding of the other man’s point of view. And as soon as we could break down the prejudices — national prejudices — it would be better for the nations concerned- . . ■Referring to his experiences on a trip to America just prior to the conference, Dr. Gordon put in a good word on behalf of the “damned Yank.” So long as we went on calling the American a “damned Yank,” and nothing else, we would get nowhere, he said. During his trip in the United States he had met the really pukka American and had been impressed with his broad-mindedness, but, above all, his overwhelming hospitality. The “loud,” swaggering Yankee tourist we knew was not the best class of American, as he had discovered by close contact, even to visits to homes. Dr. Gordon pleaded for some, friendly interest in such an organisation as the Pan-Pacific Union, and expressed the hope that if asked New Zealand would join in the support of its aims in an endeavour to bring about the advancement of Pacific countries. (Applause.) iSir Walter Carncross, in moving a vote of thanks, said he could support Dr. Gordon’s advocacy of whole-hearted support for the Pan-Pacific Union. (In seconding the motion, Dr. T. H. A. Valintine said his experience in America had been the same as that of Dr. Gordon. It was a fact that the travellerAmerican was not the American of the best type, but were men that annoyed the British very much. It appeared to him that in spite otf all the talk of the League of Nations about “no war,” we should be under arms very soon. The position in China to-day was a forecast, that country having several millions of starving people, while a recent occurrence in Honolulu, was likely to give rise to serious happenings.