Dr. Wellington Koo's Review of the Situation The political situation in the Pacific, according to the observations Dr, Wellington Koo, Minister to France, Is far from wholesome, Dr. Koo's views on the future of the Pacific were given before a cosmopolitan gathering at a tiffin meeting held by the Pan-Pacific Association at the Cathay Hotel on Tuesday (Sept. 25) in celebration of Balboa Day. He stated that the destiny of the Pacific is now at the eross-Foods, and peace is at stake.
The meeting was attended by more] than. 200 members and guests. Dr ©.'T, Wang, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, who presided, welcomed the gathering, and at the same time extended an invitation to. the non-members to join the Association. Sir John Brenan, H. M. Consul-General, conveyed greetings on behalf' of the Consular Body, which] were joined in by Gen, Wu Mayor, on behalf of the City ernment of Shanghai, Dr.
Kung, Minister of Finance, who 13 chairman of the Association, also} sent greetings from Nanking.
Dr, Koo's Dr. Koo said in part:
In the economic domain, rivalry between capitalism and communism continues, though the manifestations of this struggle are not always ednspicuous on the surface. While feapitalism has done a great deal the past for the material advancement of the world at large, it has now reached a point where the forces] it itself has released have begun to} challenge its supremacy. Whera communistic ideas do not hour has become a labour has become a formidable prt blem to capitalism, Unless each nation is encouraged to specialize in industries to which it is particularly. adapted, so that it can readily find] a market for its products, commerce] and trade would be choked and recovery of world prosperity would be, not made impossible, at least greatly delayed.
Politically, a new philosophy has} arisen in terms of Fascism, which] Like communism, is in the state of] experiment.
Tu a word, the whole world appears to be in a fluid state, Old] traditions are overthrown, and established principles are being questioned as to their soundness. The! whole picture is not a pleasant one} to contemplate, and the outlook remains uncertain, Pacific as Bridge For the peoples of this Pacific area, the vast ocean has become a bridge instead of a barrier. Tt has become a new connecting link between the Occident. and Orient, a meeting ground of the different civilizations and cultures, each having its merits ind distinct features, but all representing the genius and achievement fof the people who own them and capable of enriching one another, Different concepts of na~ ional greatness have given rise to a conflict of national policies. Already in one part of the Pacific region sombre clouds are hovering fon the international horizon which cause anxiety to the statesmen of the world, The lengthy discussions of the World Disarmament Conference have not checked the rapid increase of armaments by two great military Powers in the Far East, while the advent of the Third Naval Limitation Conference has so far only served to hasten the building up of two gr navies in the Pacific. Moreover, the past three years have witnessed a fagrant infringement of the territorial integrity of my country which remains a most. serious outstanding question to be settled. In short, the Political atmosphere of the Pacific is far from wholesome. Indeed, the destiny of the Pacific, in my' view, ig now at its cross-roads, Whether the next few years will be an era of peaceful progress for the Pacific, or'aee it become the arena of a san-Euinary conflict is and must be a Question of vital Interest to all the Peoples living in the bordering territories. The peace of the Pacific is at stake, No single Power can succeed in preserving it, whatever claim it may make and however strong it may be. For with the peace of the Pacific there is involved a great principle in international life and intercourse, Tt is this. Shall might be allowed to prevail? Tt is only ce-operation and conciliation on the basis of justice to and right to all, only by the rule of reason and never by the arbitrament of force can the: peace of the Pacific be successfully Ins, W. Kane, formerly of the Cathey Hotel, has taken over the! management of the Rubicon Inn,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.