We Look From Tortured 1948 Out
pp. 7-8 · Read in the full issue
Into Uncertain 1949
IF we compare the present condition of the war-torn countries of the South-west Pacific, with what it was in January, 1946, we may see a big difference. The Europeans are back on their mines and plantations; the natives have settled down, to some extent; a good deal of temporary re pair work has been done.
But the improvement that has taken place is nothing, in comparison with what we might have expected to have been achieved in three years.
The economy of New Guinea, Papua, British Solomons and Gilbert and Ellice Islands has not been restored— in fact, it still is decidedly wonky.
In both a physical and a moral sense, the condition of those four Terri tories is deplorable, and of most other Pacific Territories, unsatis factory.
For the physical shortcomings of the Groups, we can thank the Socialist Governments of the British Empire and France—Governments which we ourselves created. We did not create the Soviet Union and its world-wide Communist conspiracy, which have thrown a shadow over all our affairs for three weary years; but the dithering weakness of the British Socialist Governments (for which we are responsible) has con tributed much to the arrogance and
growing strength of the Russian set up.
It is not necessary here to describe at length the way in which Islands rehabilitation has been retarded by the quaint fancies and experimental plans of the Socialist Governments.
The 1946-49 history of Papua-New Guinea remains as a permanent memorial of what can and cannot be accomplished in a rich and well balanced Territory by a set-up of well-meaning theorists, who try to balance their lack of knowledge and experience by the exercise of un checked power and the use of un limited money.
By now—the end of 1948—Papua- New Guinea, with its huge resources of coconuts and gold and timber and other things in urgent demand throughout the world, should have been, not only self-supporting, but capable also of providing comfort and even luxury for both Europeans and Europeanised natives. Instead, pro duction has been seriously retarded by Socialist interference with labour, transportation, supplies and indivi dual trading. The great majority of Europeans are living in temporary, native-built houses. Between two and three million pounds per annum— ripped out of the pockets of over taxed Australians—have been spent wildly by an Administration whose
personnel has reached a total of about 900; but these lavish funds, so far from stimulating local enterprise and production, and improving Euro pean conditions, seem partly to have been used in ways to demoralise the natives. It is hard to say which has been the greatest embarrassment to the Territories—unwilling native labour, or inadequate and inefficient transport, for both of which the Wardist regime is responsible.
These South-west Territories have made a considerable recovery from the wreckage of 1945; but they are now only where they should have been in 1946 or 1947—and where they would have been, had they not shared with most of the British Em pire the curse of the Bloomsbury Planners.
OVER all of us, of course, has lain the threat of World War 111, and there is nothing to show that this shadow will grow less in 1949.
While the Democracies, since 1945, have disarmed themselves to the point of lunacy, and impotency, Russia has maintained a huge land and Air Force. While the British countries, and France, have been per mitting all kinds of industrial dis location, and dissipating their ener gies in trying to nationalise great industries, Moscow has been thrust ing its Communist tentacles across the world, until to-day we see half of Europe, and a great part of Asia, saluting the Hammer and Sickle.
We now have reached a point where
there seems to be only one alter native ; we must either accept the horror of world-wide Communism, or we must fight to retain the standards of life which we have achieved in 15 centuries of sociological evolution.
We enter this unknown 1949 with the feeling that, so far as our national, or domestic difficulties are concerned, we may be on the way to a solution of our problems. The Socia list Governments of Britain, Australia and New Zealand have modified their policies very much since, in 1946, they embarked with starry-eyed enthu siasm upon plans for the regeneration of mankind. In New Guinea, for example, recent events suggest that, even if the Australian Socialist Gov ernment is not thrown out of office in 1949, administrative policy will in the future be more in alignment with private enterprise and common sense than it has been since 1945. The British people of the Empire, gener ally, are showing clear signs that they have “had” Socialism; and there may be far-reaching political changes in 1949-50.
But, on the international front, the outlook is black. There is no sign that Moscow will abandon its clear cut policy of avoiding war, and build ing up her internal strength, while hamstringing every effort of the Democracies to achieve world-wide peace. Some time in 1949, probably, the issue will be put up bluntly to the Communist dictators: they must either abandon their tactics of keep ing the world in a state of restless ness and fear, or fight.