Omaha daily bee., 1914-04-19
PLANS DEFENSE OF EMPIRE
British Dominions Expected to Par
ticipate in Conference.
CANADA is HOLDING BACK
NustralIa and New HeRlaud Take
Exception to statement that
Japnnesc Alliance VIII
Protect Them.

Protect Them,
LONDON, April lS--Plans for . de-.
fense conference " Great Britain and rs
domiuions are rapidly assuming form, and
will be complete when the consent OF Can
ada Is gained. Australia and New Zealand
have already announced their desire for
such a conference and since the problem
OF the Pacific will be the chlef topic con-
sidered by the meeting ~ Is believed that
Canada will join the other dominions.
As the result OF the trip which par.
liamentary committee made 20 the DOM
inions, Il was found that Australian and
New Zealand statesmen believe firmly
that the problem ot the coming decade
will be tho maintenance Of supremacy
for the white race in the Pacific II was
pointed out TO the committee that Japan
10 making preparations to develop trade
and emigration toward the antlpoAsa. and
that thero Is constant now Of Chinese
to the islands OF the Pacific France has
already largely Increased ~ steamship
facilities with these Islands, and Ger
many, Holland and the United ssatea
also are active In the same regions,
The determination OF the government
to bring about the conference has been
Increased by reports from Sir Maurice
F'itEmaurioe, who has been advising the
commonwealth government on naval mat.
ters. and sir Ian Hamilton inspector
general of oversea forces. IL has not yet
been decided whether the conference will
be held in London Canada or Australia,
kttA l. - aaalsa Ia
meeting IL finally held It IL likely that
all OF the British dominlons will have
Delegates present.
Attacks ChurehiII's speech.
Australia and New Zealand have not
taken kindly TO the auggestion made by
Winston Churchill, first lord Of the ad-
miralty, In his speech introducing the
naval estimates, that the safety Of those
two countries was secured by the Anglo
Japanese alliance, William Ferguson
Massey, prime minister OF New Zealand
led an attack on the first lord in a recent
speech at Groymouth. in which he said
he did not believe the alliance had se.
cured the safety of the British dominion'
In the anupodes.
]. Hume Cook prime minister OF tn,
commonwealth OF Australia, who stated
the case for the domnlons at greater
length. said
I'VE are told by imperial statesmen
that the Pacific Is being made safe ant
secure. not by the might and the majesty
OF tho British fleet, but by the Anglo
Japanese alliance That raises for Aus
tralia very serious question. hops
that Australia always will be on friendly
terms with Japan and set closer to II
In the relations OF trade and 'oommeto.
and the peaceful acts of civilization, and
that the treaty will continue in its pres
ent form, for | believe II to be Erea
power for peace. but when Australia 4
asked to rely on the Anglo-Japanes'
treaty for the defense Of the Paolfle ;
very serious situation is created. Japal
Is a nation whose people Australia doe
not admit to its sides While Aus
! tralia' ideals must be defended at al
costs as a cardinal principle OF Australia
political belief japanese civilization dit
fers radically from that in Australia
which Is compelled TO see no mixing o
races to its territory. ~
Problem IL Dual one. ~.
Whilst II is true, as Mr. Chamberleil
said, that the naval forces should be con
centrated under a united command o.
tho chief theaters Of operation, it shout
not he forgotten that the empires naVa
problem Is a dual one Not only shoul
the imperial power be developed in rSlA
tlon to the world problem in order tina
there should be an imperial navy, 10 ngh
in any and every sea where imperia
interests are threatened. but world-wid
preparation must be combined to max
| II possible to concentrate forces At en-
point wherever the dominions have tn
greatest menace. Australia hopes tina
the imperial fleet will be 30 DEVELOPS
and organized that this, country shall b
in no way dependent absolutely on treat
obligations with any foreign power what
| ever. t.a
/ THE government lie anxious for con
ference OF self-governinE doE-!nions, In
eludlng Canada and South Africa rh
! first Australian fleet unit is being com
pieted. but to what point Is Australia
policy developlng2 Mr. Churchill has De
parted from the agreement by which IN
imperial government undertook to sen
10 the Pacific a ship for every ship pu
into commission by Australia MI
Churchill has proclaimed that ships o
an inferior calibre will do very well 10
the Pacific. Australia Ia entitled TO some
thing more than that statement. 1t
entitled TO free and fun discussion Of i'm
peral defense with every unit OF IN
empire"
! Australia Is building its own neet. Will
New zealand. who gave its drsndnough
TO the mother country, has decided !
start doing the same unless the imper'
government carries out is obligations I