Why Not India?
p. 14 · Read in the full issue
Should Supplant Japan in Pacific Leadership
rE great and growing part that India is taking in the British war effort was described in an impressive address before the Pacific Islands Society on November 26 by Mr. R. R Saksena, who at present is Trade Commissioner for the Indian Govermnent in Australia. A number of other Indians, officials and officers, were also present.
A plea for a new viewpoint on the future of the Pacific in relation to Asia, was made by a member of the Society who moved a vote of thanks to the speaker. He pointed out that for far too long, we Europeans in the South Pacific territories have regarded Japan as the inevitable leader of Asiatic nations in an matters involving a closer relationship between Asia and the Pacific territories.
“But,” he asked “why Japan?” “The Japanese,” he added, are not good neighbours; they are aggressive and land-hungry.
They have created in the Pacific, during the past two decades when** !arisfnevit e a a bt nOSS h&S gr ° Wn Steadily to the poini: we P e °P le of the Anglo-Saxon nations not accept India, rather than Japan, as the natural leader of the Asiatic nations?
“The j n( j| an em pj re jg potentially far more powerful than the Japanese empire; the culture of India was old when that y° Ul ?g: the people of India are just as clever adaptable—probably more so—than the people of Japan il dians * re m uch * earer t 0 us ’ racially, than the Japanese! a £ove all, the people of India, as they have shown in their civil behavioui, and in the gallantry of their armies in the present war are good neighbours, and they are thoroughly trust worthy in their professed allegiances. The behaviour of India in this crisis, clearly places upon Britain an obligation to assist India towards greater freedom, greater power, and greater economic progress. 8 r <W ° uld it: be s ound policy in the future to insist that fndia be accepted as the natural leader of Asia in all matters affecting the Pacific territories, rather than the aggressive sabre-rattling and untrustworthy Japanese?”