The Month's New Reading

A Clue To The Pacific's Future In 300 Years Of History

With Judy Tudor

What is to be the political future of the <( Europeanised” nations of the South Pacific? Some have become independent self-governments and some are being rapidly “decolonised”.

But where do they go from here?

THERE seem to be almost as many answers as there are professors and researchers interested in Pacific history and politico economics. Evidence of their interest and activity is seen in a continuing stream of books.

Some are rather weighty, and none adds much to the gaiety of the nations most concerned. That, probably, is because the writers are deeply anxious about the future; and 99.75 per cent, of the people to whom they apparently address them selves are more interested in the frivolous present than in an un predictable future.

The book most recently to hand is The Southwest Pacific to 1900, by that indefatigable American re searcher, writer and historian, C.

Hartley Grattan, whose useful historical survey, United States and the Southwest Pacific was published two years ago.

This new book, which is part of the University of Michigan’s History of the Modern World in 16 volumes, is in itself a tremendous compilation of 520 pages, plus a thorough index, and a helpful section of “Suggested Reading”.

New World The book tells the story—which began some 300 years ago—of how the West established in the South-west Pacific a new world based wholly on European-North American culture.

It now is a region separated culturally from the West by the bulk of Asia and Africa, and from North and South America by half the width of the vast Pacific Ocean.

Always, hitherto, we of the South Pacific have seen our future as part of the future of the West.

But, today, with a speed that is literally terrifying, we are coming

under the influence of Asia and, in a lesser degree, of Africa.

Leading men in Australia—the biggest European nation in the Pacific Ocean—now are saying quite frankly that our connections with Europe are becoming weaker and that, unless we are sure of the protection of North America, our future is un predictable.

The frantic scrambling in Malaysia, the growing menace of Red China, the grimaces and posturings of new born Indonesia, the turmoil in South- East Asia—all combine to throw a black cloud of uncertainty over our north-west frontier, and to lay emphasis on the political predica ments of the South-west Pacific.

Background Up To 1900

The purpose of Hartley Grattan’s well-written book is to provide the West with the history and back ground of events up to 1900 AD, which had led, inevitably, to this situation in the South-west Pacific.

There is much material here vital to the equipment of our leaders if they are going to chart our course in international affairs effectively, and place us in a position where Asia will not, within the next half century, fall in on top of us.

All worthwhile national policies are shaped in a knowledge of history.

Here is a mass of history, authentic and well-documented, in which may be seen much of the shape of things likely to come.

But how many of today’s busy statesmen, writers, lecturers and commentators have the time to thoroughly digest a book like this?

And this book is only one of a series. At least 10 volumes on the history and conditions of the South Pacific, most of them written by very competent people, have come to our

shelves here in the last few years.

More often than not, the authors have reached different conclusions.

What is needed in this field, more than anything else, is a sort of compendium, through which states men and political students and commentators can have quick and easy access to the very valuable material and arguments in all these books.

Meanwhile, Hartley Grattan’s new volume is recommended to the notice of all South-west Pacific leaders who are —most justifiably— worrying about our future. —RWR.

(The Southwest Pacific To 1900.

Printed in USA and distributed in Aus tralia by Ure Smith, Sydney. 60/-.)

• Unless otherwise stated, all prices are given in Australian currency.