On the Verge.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 17624, 8 October 1921, Page 7

On the Verge.

THE ABYSS OF WAR,

FIJT URE POSSIBILITIES

By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association, LONDON, October 6. Tho “Daily Express,” discussing the possibility of war between the United ; Stares and Japan asked: Mill the •; Washington Conference avert the ! peril? Our information docs riot war- - 1: rant optimism. The public must undor- ■ stand that tho 'country is standing * again on tho vergo of &n abyss that * Imperial interests in Canada., Australia and tho Far East are vitally ‘; threatened. t! After pointing out tho causes or ■ | friction between tho United States and ■' Japan tho paper proceeds to say: lle- ' yond these causes of _ friction sonm indefinable impulse drives tho United •' »Btatos to push its tentacles towuids the I Western Pacific, while the surge of the growing population and military um- ■ bition urge Japanese to earmark the ! Pacific as her own. Unless these am- '' bitions and impulses be reconciled, - rival shipbuilding will proceed. \\ hen ■ the naval building has reached a certain point, probably about 1923, there will come another war. Australia supported tho Anglo-Japaucse Treaty because of the sure knowledge that tho Treaty will be her safeguard it, and * when, tho Eastern and Western Powers sprang at each other’s throats. Otherwise the first rush of tho Oriental ! onset, taking the Philippines* and Guam in its stride, w-ouid lull on Australia.

ANOTHER THEATRE,

GERMANY AND FRANCE

BARIS, October 6. General Ludcudorff, inteiview cd, said it was quite possible to establish a lasting agreement between Germany and France. That the two nations should come to an agreement was as much in the interests oi Geimauy as of France. Tlie French policy since the war had strengthened German conviction that France is determined to crush Germany completely. J.ins explained tlie ever-growing animosity of a largo number ot Germans towards France. This animosity would disappear the moment tho French Government resolved to modify the policy ‘directed against Germany.