280 Australian Life 



condition that the State Governments would 

 undertake to settle the immigrants on land on 

 the completion of their engagements." 



The fear of Japanese aggression will have a 

 wholesome effect, if it causes the leaders of the 

 Popular party in Australia to take immediate 

 steps for populating their waste territories. By 

 doing so, they will abolish one reason for outside 

 interference. At the same time, such a step will 

 prevent the coloured man from gaining any firm 

 foothold in Australia, should it be found neces- 

 sary in the interests of Imperial unity to throw 

 the Commonwealth open to Eastern races. On 

 the other hand, if Australia should see fit to 

 stiffen her back when the time comes, and to 

 insist on the maintenance of a white Australia, 

 the advantage of an immediate influx of white 

 population cannot be overestimated. In Amer- 

 ica, whither Australia has turned for guidance in 

 the solution of many problems, already presented 

 by her national life, it has been found that the 

 European immigrant becomes Americanised with 

 extraordinary rapidity. This lesson the labour 

 party appears to have learned; hence the modifi- 

 cation of its programme and legislation. 



It will be seen, then, that Australia is not 

 entirely blind to the future, as the Australians 

 conceive it. The day may be far distant when 

 Australia will be called upon to choose between 

 Imperial unity and independence. It may never 

 come. But the Australian anticipates that in the 



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