Evening star., 1949-04-27
By Anthony Eden

By Anthony Eden
LONDON, April 27.-I returned
last month from q visit of some
weekS to Australia. 1t is land OF
opportunity. 1t is land of giant
distances which embrace every
variety of climate and opportu-
nifty. The last Is years have not
witnessed any startling growth in
population or development, but
have been years of consolidation
Australia has built herself into a
nation.
There is there today sense ol
unity and confidence and national
solidity which certainly did not
exist a generation ago. Only the
advent of the airplane made II
possible to grasp an impression OF
the size and scope Of this country
in less than a years travel. Ir
four weeks, we flew more than
1000 miles across Australia, anc
yet there were wide areas which
we had to leave untouched.
And the mere question Of size
creates a multitude Of problems
for Australia. AS I. reflect upon
them, my strongest sentiment is
one of awe at the courage and
determination of the early pio-
neers. What is astonishing Is not
what remains to be done but what
has been accomplished in so short
O span as 100 years.
Population First Need.
Today, Australia's first need is
for population. This is fortunately
not an issue Of political contro-
versy. but is now universally un-
derstood and accepted. The pres
ent immigration system is based
on nomination and achieves a
purpose which ! advocated over
20 years ago-that every immi-
grant should have q private citi-
zen to whom to turn in time OF
difficulty or need"
An Australian nominates anc
undertakes to care for an intend
ing migrant. who Is given assisted
passage. The nominator is ex.
pected to provide accommodation
until the migrant can establish
himself-and, owing to the hous-
ing shortage. this may take some
time. Camps have been built and
these are especially useful fol
those with long journey tc
undertake into the bush before
they reach their host and his
home.
There Is much to be said for
this system. 1t results in a new
arrival being able to rely as II
were upon a Godparent who &C
cepts a certain responsibility fol
him in his early days Of settlement
While in Australia. I received
many letters from recent arrivals
who, having found for themselves
the work they wanted, are, making
arrangements to nominate in their
turn some of their relatives OF
friends at home. ~ s~..
scheme Needs Memertpm.
Such "a scheme depends, OF
course, ,-NS6H itsm6Ni 1success for
momentum. In Australia so far
1t seems to be working very well.
All signs are that It IS gathering
speed and that shipping capacity
Is likely to be the only present
limitation. At the same time
plans are, being made Tor the
movement there and absorption OF
a considerable number Of displaced
persons. Australia has agreed with
the international refugee organi-
cation to take $4,000 OF these
people a year. They are housed
initially in reception centers and
seem to be learning the ways OF
their new country with energy and
contentment.
Most stubborn obstacle to ac-
ceptance here of a larger number
of migrants Is Australia's housing
problem. It Is true that, except
in Darwin, the commonwealth SUI
fered no blitz-but for six years
of war, house building came vir-
tually to q standstill. In every
state, vigorous efforts are being
made by q wide variety Of meth
DDS to combat this shortage.
Meanwhile. intending migrants
should bear in mind that such
q shortage does exist.
Racial Problem Cited.
found that q "white Australia"
policy is fundamental faith for
almost every Australian. BY their
action in accepting newcomers
from Europe and by their plans
for agricultural development and
Industrial enterprise, Australians
are doing much to Justify their
policy before the world. They are
acutely conscious Of racial prob
lens which confront countries like
South Africa, and recent outbreaks
in the union have strengthened
the commemorative determination
to preserve q white Australia.
Australians are proud Of their
British origin and they certainly
hope to see a majority of Britons
among the newcomers. This. how
ever, does not prevent them vel
coming other settlers Of European
race whose capacity for hard worl
has won them praise.
Openings in this new land are
many and varied. They range
from clerical work In city bank:
and Offices to primary cpportuni-
ties on the land itself.
Australians have made grea
strides forward on their own &C
count. even though there Is
shortage of manpower everywher'
on the subcontinent. Queensland
for instance, despite its subtropi
cal character. has a little over one
tenth of its land unoccupied. Thi
is q tribute to the energy ant
determination Of q remarkably