Evening star., 1942-03-29
u. S. Help Needed to Prevent
Postwar Collapse in Australia
Best Craftsmanship This Nation Can Provide Will
Be Required to Avert Economic
Crisis, Observer Declares
By Felix Morley

Dy cbv
An Associated Press cable from Bris-
bane reports that already there have
been more than score of marriages
between Australian girls and members
Of the newly established American Ex-
peditionary Force Down Under" That
news, certainly important to the families
affected. helps to emphasize how little
we know about the distant continent
we are now fighting to save.
Thousands of American citizens have
already arrived in Australia for what is
likely to prove an extended visit. Pri-
mary responsibility for the protection OF
that country has been entrusted to an
American general. The Foreign Minister
of the Dominion is established in Wash
ington for an indefinite stay. Our ex-
ports to Australia, albeit entirely in mu-
nitions of various kinds, are expanding
as rapidly as available shipping permits.
Yet our unfamiliarity with that part of
the world is such as to make it appro-
pirate for newspapers to explain that
not spring, but autumn, Is coming to
Australia now.
This ignorance is the more deplorable
because one certainty in the world con-
fusion is that Australia and the United
States are going to be closely linked for
a long time to come. That this will be
the case for the duration of the war is
obvious. 1t is scarcely less obvious that
an intimate relationship may be highly
desirable for the long-range future.
1t is, of course. conceivable that an
eventual defeat of Japan will result in
British military bases at Hong Kong,
Singapore and Rangoon.
Australia's Future.
If so, Australia might theoretically re-
vert to its old role of almost complete
economic, financial and military depend
ence on Great Britain. In that case the
A. E. F. now in Australia would have no
greater permanent significance than the
expeditlonary force we sent to France a
quarter century ago.
1t seems more probable, however, that
the British position in the Far East has
been permanently weakened, whether in
the interest of Japan or in that of the
rising nationalisms Of China and India.
If so, Australia will experience great
changes, involving profound modifica-
tions of the tie with Britain and an
equally striking development of hitherto
unexpected contacts with the United
States.
Most Americans know in general way
that the area of Australia proper is
almost identical with that of the conti-
mental United States. 1t is also realized
that the total population of this huge
country is scarcely 100000, of whom
half live in the five big cities of Sydney,
Melbourne. Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Under the white Australia" policy. prac-
tically all of this population is of British
origin, and is properly proud of it.
Less appreciated is the fact that two
thirds of Australia, for all its proximity
to the fertile East Indies, is either COM
plete desert or land adaptable only to
the limited pasturage of livestock. Be-
cause of lack of rainfall and the scarcity
of large rivers Australian economists do
not believe that their country will ever
10000, 900.
Equally little understood in this coun-
try is the recent rapid transformation Of
Australia's economic organization. 1t is
no longer merely a great agricultural
domain, specializing in wool, mutton and
wheat. The proportion of the popula-
ton engaged in manufacturing is today
almost as great as in the United States.
Mineral production shows a great in
crease and the steel works at Newcastle.
though less than 80 years old, are already
the largest in the British Empire.
Practical Difficulties.
Side by side with this industrial growth
Is a backwardness, by American stand
ards, which can be attributed to the fact
that the original Australian colonies were
not united into federal union until
1901.
A more serious consequence is the fact
that the Australian railroads are laid
down on three different gauges, so that
it IS impossible to make shipments from
one state through another without COM
plete unloading and reloading of every
freight car. The defense aspect of this
extraordinary situation, at time when
the country is threatened with invasion,
Is at the moment very much to the fore.
Australia has now for Al years en-
joyed Q federal form of government,
similar to our own, with all powers
except the large number specifically