THE GERMAN COLONIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 52, 24 November 1917, Page 10

THE GERMAN COLONIES

Writing in tho "Contomporary Eβview," Sir H. H. Johnston says that tho return of German South-West Africa is impossible unless the British Empire and its Allies are so completely defeated that to save thoir homelands 'they must conent to a "German" peace. The restoration of German South-West Africa to Germany would mean that before long Trans-Zambesian Africa would either leave the British Empire in order to reconquer South-West Africa, or that Germany, through that re-entry, would eventually subduo Trans-Zambesian Africa. "Similarly,. after all that has liapponed, I could almost imagine that Australia and New Zenbad, if asked to withdraw from Northern Papua and Samoa, so that the German flag might be rohoisttKi, would prefer to proclaim their independence, and hold on to those positions, which, if tfcgy value their growing nationhood, must never ngnin become the points d'appui of n masterful European State. Japan nnd China would never consent to the Teturn of the Germans to Kia-Chao." There is another article by Mr. Wijlinm Harlnitt Dawson, whicii presents the case for conditional return of tho colonies—German SouthWeet Africa always nxcepted. To withhold colonies' from Germany, ho eays, would bo a petty act of retaliation wliicn' might be pregnant with large and disastrous results. It would be prematura, he adds, to suggest exactly which of Germany's former territories should bo restored to her, and on what conditions the rest should remain in other hands, but tho necessary adjustments should bo made a subject of negotiation, and the idea of exchanges and compensations should be kept steadily in view. Whether in the case of the colonies returneff Germany should be required to refund the whole costs of the military expeditions is Tegarded, by Jfr. Dawson as a fair question for discussion.