HER LOST COLONIAL EMPIRE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 112, 29 January 1918, Page 5

HER LOST COLONIAL EMPIRE

—> WHY GERMANY MUST NEVER REGAIN IT FREEDOM IN THE PACIFIC Mr. J. E. Mackenzie, who was for- ! merly "The Tim'es" correspondent at . Berlin, lecturing in Sydney on the improvement of Japanese and American ' relations, said that there would be a grave danger if Germany was permitted to remain in East Africa, even with pledges that she would not arm the natives. He quoted' the following recent statement by Herr Zimmermann: ' "The chief opponent of German expansion in the Pacific is Australia. We | cannot exert pressure on Australia from overseas; but we can do it easily from East Africa, becauso Australia needs an open sea route through tho Indian Ocean. Even if she diverted her trade round tho Cape we could attack freighters_ from East .Africa. When we are in a powerful position in Central Africa we should bo able to force Australia to respect our wishes in the _ South Seas and Far East, and so drive the first wedge into tho united front of our Far Eastern enemies." Lord Northcliffe's Suggestions. : .Lord Northcliffe, interviewed' by the Sydney "Sun's" special representative , in London towards the end of Decern-' ber, said that several subjects were under discussion with the United States of considerable interest to Australians. Perhaps the most important was that of removing Germans from the Pacific. When he arrived at New York, in June, any suggestion that Great Britain should retain German . territory. was unsatisfactorily received, with the usual statement, "So this war is for land-grabbing, not for humanity." There was need for a great deal of missionary work in the States on that point. Tho first speaker with the courage to broach the subject effectively was Professor Lowell, of Harvard. Mr. Holman further broke tho ice, and coming from one extreme democracy to another, was able to speak more plainly to Americans than Lord Northcliffe was._ Americans, Australians, and Canadians had a sympathetic interest in the Pacific, a fact that needed to be hammered home by Australian speakers in the States. If other eloquent well-known Australians wero sent to point out the absolute need.for eliminating Prussians from the Pacific, a great deal of trouble would be saved at the peace conference,' if such a gathering ever met.Mr. Lloyd Ceorge's Method. In his great war aims speech before tho trade union delegates at Westminster, Mr. Lloyd George said, regarding the German colonies, "I have repeatedly declared that they are hem at tho disposal of the Peace Conference, whose decision must have primary regard to the wishes and interests of tho native inhabitants. _ None of those territories aro inhabited by Europeans. Therefore the governing consideration of all these cases must bo that the inhabitants should be placed under the control of an administration acceptable to themselves, one of 'whose main purposes will bo to prevent their exploitation for tho benefit of European capitalists or Governments. Tho natives live in thoir various tribal organisations, under chiefs and councils who are competent to consult and speak for their tribes and members, and thus to represent their wishes and interests regarding their disposal. "The general principle of national self-determination, therefore, is as applicable to their cases as to those of occupied European territories. The German declaration that the natives of the German colonies have through their military fidelity in the war shown their attachment and resolve under all circumstances to remain with Germany is applicable not to tho German colonies generally, but onlv to one of them, namoly, German East . Africa. And in that case the German authorities secured the attachment only of the small warlike classes from whom their 'Askaris or soldiers were selected. Theso they attached to themselves hy conferring on them a highly privileged position as against the bulk of the native population, whioh enabled tho Askaris to assume a lordly and oppressive superiority over the rest of the natives. By this and other means they secured the attachment of 'i very small, insignificant minority, I whose interests wore directly oppos- [ ed to the rest of the population, and for whom' they have no right to speak. Tho German treatment of the native populations in their colonies has been such as amply justifies their fear of submitting tho future of those colonies to the wishes of the natives themselves." Cermany's Lost Colonies. Germany's former possessions outside of Europe which have been taken by the Allies have an aggregate area of more than 750,000 square miles. If tho area of East Africa is added, the total comes to considerably more than 1,000.000 squares miles. The details are Africa. Square miles. South-west Africa 322,450 East Africa .' 384,000 Cameroon ; 300,000 ; Togoland 33,700 Pacific. Samoa 660 Upolu 340 Kaiser Wilhelm's Land and Pacific. Island 70,000 1 Bismarck Archipelago ... ; 22.6*10 a Caroline, Pelow, Marianne, s and Marshall Islands 1,000 , Asia. 1 Kiao Cliau 200 i The total of the conquered territory, n including East Africa, is ■ 1,134,990 r square miles,