The Pacific

German-Japanese Alliance Threatens

Facts Which Tropical Territories Must Frankly Face

A DEVELOPMENT of supreme im portance In international relation ships generally, and to Pacific countries in particular, was made public on November 28.

It was announced that, after months of negotiation, Germany, Italy and Japan had reached an agreement, un der which they now are ready to trans form their Anti-Comintern Pact into a Triple Alliance. It is provided in the Alliance that, if any one of the three is threatened by an outside Power or Pow ers, the other members of the alliance will give diplomatic, political and eco nomic assistance.

Great military significance is attach ed to the Alliance.

Germany is ready to sign immediately: but it is believed that Italy is in favour of a few months’ delay.

The objects of the move are clear.

Japan intends to create, in the Far East, a Japanese Empire, to include Japan, Korea, Manchukuo, the whole of Eastern China, and all the Pacific Is lands now held under Mandate. She will be supported in this by Germany and Italy, who hope to push British, American and French interests out of the Far East, and to share with Japan the rich trade advantages thus gained.

The process is going on, already. On December 1, it was announced that Japan was to hold, in Tokio, a Japan ese “Imperial Conference” representing the conquered countries named above.

The seriousness of the outlook cannot be exaggerated. Japan, alone, could be held in the Far East by Britain, France and the smaller democratic countries.

Japan, if she is to be supported by Ger many and Italy, inevitably will turn southwards into the Pacific, and chal lenge the strength of the democratic countries.

If this Triple Alliance is formed—and, although Britain and France are work ing against the plan, its consumma-i tion seems likely—Britain and France will have great difficulty in holding Japan back to the northward of the equator. That is, unless the United States comes in.

This “great and glorious” democracy, however, is completely undependable.

Babbling politicians in high places, reacting pitifully to the cranks and ideologists who direct the world’s most terrible newspaper press, can give no assurance of an intelligent or consist ent foreign policy. Probably, when the British and French Empires are falling to pieces, and all that is best in human relationships is being trampled down by goose-stepping Fascists, the Americans will try, months too late, to “save de mocracy”.

To-day, the writing is on che wall.

South America now is being literally over-run by Germans, Japanese and Italians, and North American interests there are being sadly affected. But. in this as in other matters, the ostrich head of the U.S.A. is buried deep in the sand.

The American people, whom we all know and like, undoubtedly would pre fer the world as it is to a world con trolled by Germany, Italy and Japan.

But no one seems to be able to give them a free choice.

Defence Of Papua And New

Guinea

IT was stated in this journal recently that, during the international crisis on September 26-29, there were Japanese naval forces awaiting orders in the Japanese Mandated Territory of the Caroline and Marshall Islands, very close to Australian territory.

The information was published, not

as an alarmist or sensational item, but as plain truth. Is there any reason why people in the British Pacific territories should not know the danger that threatens them constantly and increas ingly from the direction of Japan?

It long has been the theory of this writer that Japan is engaged in a con spiracy, with other Fascist), land hungry nations, to do everything pos sible to embarrass and weaken the Brit ish and French Empires, in the belief that if those Empires once begin to fall to pieces, they will pick up rich colon ial territories. One sees signs of the conspiracy all over the world. Britain is countering it in the only way possible —by building up her armed strength to invulnerability—but France, owing to the rotten political system which prevents

stable government in that country, is becoming alarmingly weak.

However, this is all theory. Let us stick to facts. There are plenty of them.

The Australian Prime Minister form ally denied that Australia, during the crisis, was menaced by Japanese war ships. But his statement was generally ambiguous, and he did not say that there were no Japanese naval forces in the Carolines and Marshalls.

Was it not the same Mr. Lyons who, only a few weeks ago, snorted with in dignation at the suggestion that Port Moresby should be fortified and made an advanced base for Australian defence?

Nothing of the kind was contemplated, he said —it would be regarded as offen sive by other countries (meaning Japan, of course). The “P.1.M.”, at the time, said in plain and simple language what it thought of Mr. Lyons and his prevari

cation. Now, it is announced officially that Papua and New Guinea are to be regarded as the advanced line of Aus tralia’s defences, and that Port Mores by will be fortified.

Japanese Naval Bases

FACTS? The news of the past month bristles with them.

“Nauticus”, an annual sponsored by the high command of the German Navy, has just published this; “Since the lapse of the naval treat ies, Japan’s intention is unmistakable to extend her bases, already existing outside the home islands, to Formosa, the Pescadores and the Bonin Islands, and to extend the new bases as far as possible towards the south-west, into Mandated territory”.

Germany And Japan In East

Asia

THE following are extracts from a sig nificant article in “Far Eastern Survey” of October 26, 1938: — Recent developments in the Far East are now maxing it apparent that Ger many is envisaging a German-Japanese condominium in East Asia, equally pro fitable to both participants and estab lished on the shattered remains of what was China.

German activities within the- last several months, particularly as revealed in new investments in Manchukuo and preferential treatment of imports to Japan, all show a clearcut objective.

Simultaneously she is liquidating as fast as possible all direct affiliations with the forces representing an independent China. . . .

The real stake of the German gam ble, however, remains of course in China. If Japan wins, Germany can re-enter the Chinese market as Japan’s ally. . . .

It is scarcely accidental that at the height of the Czech crisis in Europe, Japan took the momentous step, by the establishment of the China Affairs Bu reau, virtually to proclaim her inten tion to establish a protectorate over all of China and to remove all Chinese busi ness from the orbit of Japan’s Foreign Office. It is believed that it is within the framework of such a protectorate that German-Japanese politico-econo mic co-operation could best be realised and extended —at the expense of the same powers that have just bowed to the threat of force in Europe.

“Any Day!”

INTERVIEWED in New York on No vember 14, Captain Victor A. Cazalet, M.P., who attended the British Rela tions Conference in Sydney, said:— “Events in the last few months have shown the people living in the Pacific that they may at any time be faced with just as unpleasant a situation as we in Europe have experienced, and it may not be a question of waiting some years. Any day may find a situation which can be dealt with only if we have sufficient strength in defence and attack to ward off Japanese aggression”.

Japanese In New Caledonia

MR. MIKAMI, a Japanese official, whose duties lie largely in the Jap anese Mandate of the Pelew group, recently spent several months in New Caledonia investigating labour condi tions there. He arranged for the pur chase by Japan of agricultural produce, including oranges and cotton, and dried fish and shell.

“Cotton grown in New Caledonia is of very good quality”, he said, “but not enough is grown. Japanese companies will finance the growers, so that their crop will be increased. If the local fisher men need boats to get the shell and fish we want, then they will be financed.

Japanese interests were now active in the development of the mineral resour ces of New Caledonia, Mr. Mikami add ed. Two iron mines at Goro belonged to a Japanese company, and experts had been brought from Japan this year to do the foundation work. It was hoped that ore would be shipped to Japan next month.

“As soon as production starts, we will employ Frenchmen to operate the mines, using Japanese capital”, he explained.

“The French have placed a prohibition on the importation of Japanese labour, and now only Javanese and Tonkinese can be employed”.