The Editors' Mailbag

Behind Indonesia: The

Spectre of Asia

This is how a resident of the South Pacific sees Indonesia, vis a vis Aus tralia: It is sometimes difficult for an on looker to understand the working of the Australian politicians’ minds over the Dutch-Indonesian wrangle.

To me, it is so simple—a Demo cratic country (Holland) is fighting to keep a pro-Communist country (Indonesia) out of a country to which it has absolutely no right, and is not wanted by the native Papuans.

That seems plain enough.

Do we give only lip-service to Democracy? If so, no wonder people are inclined to turn towards Com munism. Kruschev doesn’t hesitate to say whose side he is on.

I would say that the Netherlands’ fight in W. New Guinea is Austra lia’s fight also, for if the screaming Yanks and the screaming United Nations hand over the Territory to Indonesia, the latter will have Aus tralia in their pockets.

How in the world can Australia defend her northern coastline from a determined invader? Indonesia will break her non-aggression promises to Australia as cynically as the rest of the Communist herd.

It seems to me that Australian leaders are so worried about the Common Market implications, and so occupied in scratching for new markets in Asia, that if Indonesia and the Dutch had a scrap in Martin Place they’d turn a blind eye.

But it is not quite as simple as that. If Australia (10i millions ) is going to defy Indonesia (94 millions ) she necessarily must defy all South- East Asia (say, 1,500 millions). To do that, Australia would need a powerful backer. To whom should Australia look for support? Britain, or United States, or SEATO, or United Nations? Broken reeds, all of them, so far as defence of the South Pacific nations is concerned.

Chicken—Dressed

And Undressed

Mr. C. S. Simpson, of Fiji, weighs in with his two bits worth in sup port of Tolala (May PIM) on the matter of European women and clothes—or lack of same.

He says that in 14 years in India, China, West Indies, Ceylon or Fiji,

he has never seen a native woi improperly or insufficiently clotl but tourists who visit such place: Suva often offend. He says: ‘The other day, here in Suv saw two young European girls off of the visiting liners, walking al the street. They were covered only just; they wore the briefest shorts, very tight, so much so you could see their cholera belts.

“I do think that more action sh« be taken in seeing that our visi are suitably clothed when they c< ashore here (and other ports), only these girls could hear some the comments passed when they by, they’d have a fit.

“Can’t the tourist agencies something about it? Can’t they; their brochures, advise visitors tc decently clad and explain v I think a little bit of chicken lo nicer dressed up, anyhow.” [Practically every tourist -g; about the Pacific advises against H clothing. Most visitors fall into out of respect of the host coud a minority do not and there absolutely nothing, short of maj laws against it, that can be done

American Women and

Swimming Pools, Too

A reader in Los Angeles sent note on the hotel situation in T:' —which apparently did not pi him. He thinks that there has 1 over-building of hotels there that the prices asked are too for what offers.

“The bungalows are beautiful a South Sea Island pattern and i of them have hot water now. when an American pays $2O s hotel he does not want a life mosquitoes, lizards, bugs and esj; ally our women.” [Great Scott —what does the fes mean? That Americans don’t go; Tahiti to share their bungalows American women? We have air suspected as much].

“Tahiti is still a place for rugged,” he goes on. “Even thoj the accommodations are better ever before, the food better and i places have swimming pools it is those who come here for Tahiti will be happy. The average po (who hasn’t got the feeling fon Island and the people), would) better off going to a good hote; Honolulu.”