The Dominion TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1918. THE GERMAN COLONIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 124, 12 February 1918, Page 6

The Dominion TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1918. THE GERMAN COLONIES

Of all the questions that arc to be considerod at the Imperial Conference and War Cabinet a few months hence none more urgently calls for a, clear and emphatic declaration from the British Dominions than that of the former German colonies. Dominion statesmen have seized every opportunity of impressing upon the British public and the people of other Allied countries that the restoration of these territories to their former owners would be an unspeakable calamity, but a very real danger still appears that the disposal of the German colonies may be regarded by the Allies as a matter of secondary importance, and may bo treated in tfiat light when the time comes to determine conditions of peace We a.-e hound to recognise thai comparatively littlo interest in the ultimate fate of the colonial possessions wrested from Germany in the course of the present war has been manifested in Great Britain, and much less in other Allied countries; and that tho utterances of leading Allied Jitatestnon euggest that their ideas'on this subject are far from being clearly defined. One British Minister, Mr. Walter Long, has spoken as openly and unreservedly against the restoration of tho German colonies as any oversea representative, but ho is in this matter a marked exception to tho common rule. No doubt his attitude is in part explained by tho fact that hie office of Colonial Secretary brings him more frequently and intimately into touch with' public sentiment in tho Dominions than any of his colleagues. Mr. Lwyv George and President Wilson both mentioned the German colonies in expounding Allied war aims, but they did bo in such general and guarded terms as indicated a ruling determination not to commit themselves. The final effect of their pronouncements was to leave the wjiolo question open in a degree which would be impossible if it were thrashed out on_ its merits. The great danger in sight is not that of definite opposition to proposals advanced by the Dominions. It is that a which h uot I only of paramount importance to

the Dominions, but has a vital bearing upon the future peace of the world, may ultimately be allowed to go by default.

Tho existing state of affairs is assuredly not one with which the Dominions can afford to rest content, or, which they can regard with equanimity. Duty and interest must equally impel them to demand that the issues centring in the former German colonies shall be faced as definitely as other issues of firstclass importance, which the war has brought to the front. Tho Dominions arc interested in the matter first and foremost because the restoration to Germany of the vantaga points and strategic bases she had secured, and commenced to develop, in various parts of the world would leave them exposed to an overshadowing menace—just such a menace as the Allies arc pledged and determined to abolish for ever in Europe. But they are at the same time performing a duty to the Empire and to the Allies in demanding that the question of the German colonies should be considered fully and franlcly on its merits. The clanger they fear on their own account is equally a danger to all peace-loving nations. It is recognised in tho Dominions, as apparently it has not yet been recognised in Britain and by the Allied nations, that the exclusion of Germany from all or most of her former colonial possessions is as vital, and as necessary in the interests of futuro peace, as the restoration of Belgium, the return of Alsace-Lor-raine to France, or the redemption of tho races which 'have been so long and barbarously oppressed under Ottoman tyranny. It is both astounding and alarming that this fact, has been generally overlooked in Allied countries and passed over lightly or ignored by Allied statesmen in their public utterances. Certainly the state of mind thus evidenced is not explained by any lack of information in regard to the trend of German public opinion where colonies are concerned. An article which was published in our nows columns yesterday is typical of the mass of information on tho subject. It dealt with tho aims and activities of the German Colonial Society, a large and extremoly influential organisation which has within its ranks tho German Colonial Secretary (Dr. Solf) and other persons sfcill more prominent in the public life of the Fatherland. This society is agitating vigorously not only for the recovery of the colonies Gormany has lost, but tor the acquisition of great areas owned by other nations, and in particular island bases and naval stations, possession of which would enable Germany to dominate the principal Eca routes of the world.

Tho practical problem by which the Dominions arc faced is not initially that of saying precisely what .shall be done with the German colonies. What is first of all necessary is that the Allies should bo induced to give the same attention to Germany's unscrupulous aspirations in the domain of colonial empire, end to the necessity of providing safeguards against these aspirations lemg realised, as they have given to defeating and cheokmating her designs in Europe and Asia. The British Dominions cannot too insistently press their demand that the matter should be approached and dealt with from this standpoint, and nothing that will reinforce the demand should bo neglected. In this country, for instance, it is altogether desirable that the question of the disposal of the former Gorman colonies, and particularly the Pacific islands in which we are vitally interested, should be sub- , mitted to Parliament when it meets lin April. This course may be deemod unnecessary on the ground that opinion , on the subject in Parliament and throughout the Dominion is practically unanimous, but it has to be considered that a formal declaration by Parliament may serve a useful purpose and materially assist our representatives when they come to speak for the Dominion in London. It is probably both unnecessary and undesirable that Parliament .should propose in set terms a policy of annexing the Pacini islands and other colonies formerly under tho German flag. It is distinctly possible that the Allies may ultimately declare for the internationalisation of these territories, and the Dominion representatives in London, or those of the Empire in international consultation, could not well oppose such a proposal en general grounds, though it would by. no means offer the same assured safeguard as would annexation of the territories in dispute. But it is undoubtedly well within the province of the New Zealand Parliament to urge that the question of disposing of the former German colonies should be regarded as of paramount importance, and that in no case should the future peace_ of tho world be imperilled by restoring Germany to the position she occupied at tho outbreak of war as a colonial Power.