New-York tribune., 1919-02-07
Australia Fears
Colony Loss i'm
Plan
Full Control Sought Over
Islands South of the
Equator, Except Samoa
Nei0 York Tribune
Special Cable Seru;;re

Special Cable Serutce
Copyright, 1919. New York Tribune Inc.)
PARIS, Feb. 6.-Australia views with
considerable apprehension the pro-
ceedings of the peace conference, her
Premier, William NJ. Hughes, said to-
day. Mr.. Hughes was asked if Aus
tralia was satisfied with the mandatory
scheme of governing the former Ger
man colonies and island possessions
Australia claims full control of all the
islands lying below the equator, ex-
cept Samoa, which should go to New
Zealand, and that part of New Guinea
which is Dutch possession.
You put to me difficult ques-
tion," Mr.. Hughes replied. "This ar
rangement can hardly be regarded as
satisfactory, because it is provisional
and so uncertain. I am unable, of
course, to tell you the nature of the
arrangement, but may say it is one
that has within it many possibilities.
Gone of these would be reasonably
satisfactory, although it would still
fall short Of what Australia confidently
expected. But as the agreement is pro-
visional, in the sense that no one is
able to say just how and when it will
apply to Australia, or indeed anywhere
else, and as it contains other possibili-
ties which Australia would not ac-
cept or entertain for moment, my an
swer must be that although the ar
rangement may turn out satisfactorily
we have absolutely no assurance on
that point.
Question Called Vital
Speaking as a citizen of an ad-
vanced democracy, and voicing the
opinions Of fellow Australians, it can
hardly be matter for surprise that
we view the present situation with con-
siderable apprehension.
"We find ourselves in matter which
is absolutely vital with our racial and
industrial requirements left in doubt,
and suspense. To put it briefly, wo do
not know where we are.
sit may be said that this is inevi-
table under the circumstances. But
with this l cannot agree, unless you
refer to circumstances that have been
created rather than those inherent
in the problem itself. The fact is
that a problem simple and easy of So
luton has been rendered difficult and
complex by the intrusion of a factor
wholly unnecessary at this stage.
81 am most heartily in favor of
league of nations, but its function
should not be to make the terms of
peace. but to see that these terms are
carried out after they are made by
the peace conference.
Fault With Conference
''The trouble is that the peace con-
ference, the most representative
gathering of nations which the world
has ever seen, and to which the people
of the world look for righteous and
permanent peace, instead of exercising
those functions for which it was
ASAiASN oSCNiS W bS liSilhGQ w manu-
over the settlement of various prob
lens as they come up to body which
does not yet exist, and whose charac-
ter and functions have yet to be de-
termined, a body whose very existence
has to run the gamut of the worlds
criticism, a body which will be SUBJ
jected to severe scrutiny by all legis-
lative bodies and by all peoples before
it can be firmly established.
Il want to put the matter shortly.
What Australia wants is settlement
of the Pacific island question by the
peace conference. She wants settle
ment such as she is entitled to have,
one that will insure her national safety
and guarantee her industrial, social
and racial policies. This is what we
want, and we want it now.
1--WE prefer not to accept the man
Gate principle, but IL compelled to do
SO it is imperative that we must make
the same laws and have over the new
territories the same power ss we ex-
ercise over Australia. Nothing lesa
will satisfy the Australian people,