FUTURE OF SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 157, 22 March 1918, Page 6

FUTURE OF SAMOA

AND GERMAN AIMS

PROTEST AGAINST RESTORATION

THE GERMAN SPIRIT

A meeting was held in the Concert Chamber ior the purpuse of giving expression to the views of the pcopi« of Wellington on the future of Samoa. TUu Mayor presided. The meeting was noisy at times, tiie noise coining ironi several Socialists in the hall. Some of them were opposed to, the resolution put to tuo meeting, but none of them seemed to favour tho restoration of Samoa, to Germany. ......

Tho Mayor said that he proposed.later to, submit a resolution to tho meeting, but he would not accept amendments. It might l>o said that he ought to take amendments, but he thought that amendments might not be in f'o interests of Britain anil her Allic id he would not accept responsibilu, - l >r such proposals. The meeting would be allowed to vote on the question, and he, would accept the verdict of the meeting.

The Resolution. Hβ submitted tho following resolution: That, while recognising that the interests, desires, and power of the British Empire as a whole and its and not ihose of any part i of it, 'must ultimately determine the terms ot peace, this meeting declares . its conviction that tho restoration of the German colonies in the Pacific would involve a standing menace only to-the interests of Britain and her Dominions, but also to the peaceful development of all other free communities in these seas; and fur- f ther, that, while accepting without reserve the statement of President Wilson, "that in determining all questions of sovereignty the ihterests of .the populations concerned must have equal weight iiith the equitable.; claims, of the Government 'whose title; is to be determined," this meeting considers that the principle of _ selfdetermination cannot reasonably be applied to the native populations of the Pacific in their present condition. Mr". Luke said that to give the islands back to. the ucrniuns would not bu ior the good- of the native people of the islauus, or for the good' o£ the whole world. The meeting would not give an order or direction to Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, but merely an indication of tue opinion oi the people of AVellington. At the Peace Conference one of the chiaf things to be discussed was this of the jdispbsal of. Germany's Pacific colonies..' It would bs far better for the islands to be controlled and held by tho British people, because British government was the fairest and freest iu the whole world. We had the biggest and the finest Navy in the world, and the farthest-flung Empire, but our ports were free to ships of all nations. He believed personally' that it would be better for Samoa to be given over to the control of New Zealand, l>ut this was only his own individual opinion, and not part of tho resolution. ,

The Resolution Explained. Mr. A. E. Atkinson seconded the resolution. He said that there were two parts to flie resolution—one to say that tho Germans ought to be kept out of the Pacific, and that tho natives of Samoa and New Guinea were not fit to decide the question of the disposal of their lauds. The meeting did not propose to dictate to the British Government, but merely to make a suggestion. The main secret of Empire was not privilege, but responsibiluy." He did not care whether; Samoa was annexed and handed over to New Zealand or not, or whether it was administered by an International Board. All lie wished was that it should on no account be given back to the Germans. (Applause.) Samoa looked bigger to us than it looked in London, and it was a fact that wo might see the importance of this question about Gorman colonies more clearly than it was seen in London. He. did not approve of tho claim made on behalf ot Wew Zealand that we should keep Samoa because we had taken it. It was not true that we had taken« Samoa. we had required the help of Australian ships ot war and British and French ships also before we could reach Samoa. The Bn•tish Labour Party .had 'declared against, annexations-fapplause from some Labour men)—and the resolution did not support annexations-(applause from the other people). The resolution set forth that the interests of the natives should haveconsideration first of all in considering tho future of the islands, but that tho native people were not fit to be themselves the arbiters of their own future. The Germans had brought to this world the. worst hell it 'had ever known, and already they were preparing for another and' a worse hell in the future. It had been suggested that we should not put our interests .before those of Belgium. He would make no such suggestion-that we should consider our own comfort ana livxnw as against the blood and tears of" Belgium. But if we did not beat Germany so decisively that Belgium would be handed back unconditionally there would be no question about Samoa. There might be ciuestmns then about the future of New Zealand. . ,

Mr. Wright and the* Socialists. Mr. B. A. Wright, replying, to <orae interruptons, said that he could not understand any objection to the resolution as framed. It did not even offend the sensibilities of those \ih& were opposed to annexations. All the resolution said was that the islands of the Pacific should not go back to Germany. Even Eobert Blatcliford might support the resolution. He was puzzled to understand the attitude of the pacifist. If a man said that Britain had no right to wage war to take territory, he could understand sucn a proposition. But he could not understands man who said that we had no right;to use force to repel attack. It it could be shown that Britain had wished to rush into this war the pacifists might have some right on their side, but was it not true that Viscount Groy and tho British Government had up till tlio vory last tried their utmost to prevent all this bloodshed? Tho hands of the British people were clean. We did not want Germans as our neighbours. (AjpA. voice: What about lord Milner? ,Mr. P. Frnser: What about the King? (Cries of indignation.) Mr Wright, referring more particularly' to the resolution, said that he did not wish to embarrass tho Allies at tho Peace Conference, but it was proper that we should bring tho views of this country under the notice of the British authorities. Our view was that we did not want tho Germans as neighbours because they were bad neighbours He colild not understand opposjtion to tho motion. ■ Who was responsible for tho chaos in Russia? The people in Russia who had got into power after tn« Jfcvolntion had declared < for no annexations, and whero were they now? A voice: They have freedom and liberty. (Applause from Socialists.) Mr. Wright: They are under the thumb of Germany. (Applause.)

For the Sal« of the Natives. . 'Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh said that when the history of Australasia, was written about a century,hence, part of all the history would be that relating to our treatment of the natives. If it were possible to leave the Sanioan people to work out their own simple' destiny they might do happier than with our civilisation. But Hie nations ot the world would not allow them to be alone. He did not oppose the setting up of an ! International Board of Control. I ■ Mr Holland: Hear, hear. That was the amendment the •Mayor refused. Mr Hindma*sh said that the resoluI tion "admitted of this. But it would be infinitely preferable for the natives of '■Samoa to be under a demo-cratically-governed people than under autocratic Germany. He supported the resolution because he wished to have tlie native people protected. He also had the opinion that British rule by the democracy of Australasia would be better for the natives than any other rule that he knew of

in the world. Fur this reason also lie supported tuo resolution.

The German Spirit. Mv. J. Hutciiesun eaid that if he had not been convinced ot the righteousness of Britain's part in the war ho would have taken no part iu tho discussion as to what should happen 10 the German colonies. He tgretu that the Uermaus were bad ueighuours, aid he believed in the old saying: "it is wise to keep an eye on the <!og tuat has bitten you once." He had met a lot of Germans, and his experience was that every German was potentially either a sycophant or a tyrant. He gave an instance from his experience of a'German sailor'tyrant.

Mr. Semple: I meet lots of people like that, and they aro not Germans either. Mr, Hutcheson: Now, my friend, I have been just as cosmopolitan in my uprearing as you have been, but there is this difference between • us—that I did not cease to bo a Briton when I 'became a democrat. (Applause.) He said that not until tho German military spirit was broken could the Germans be fit to come into the brotherhood of man. Until the Allies exorcised this national devil there was no hope for the Germans. Every man who had n drop of British blood in his veins should readily subscribe to the resolution.

Germany's Annexations. ! Mr. M. 1 ,, . 1/uekie isaiu the disposal of Samoa might not be a big part of the prograramo at the l'eacc Conference, but it, was iiono the less proper that we here should point out the local importance of the matter. Germany had aimed at world domination when she embarked on the. war. Her only aim in acquiring territory was to militarise tho people, in order to oppress and dominate other people. Germane we're the most scientific savages in the world, and it would be a sad wrong to hand over again to Germany the nativee of Samoa, Who would U6e the argument about no annexations as applied to German territory? Germany had already annexed half of Russia. She wanted colonies abroad, and her eyes 'were on these lands here as the best white men's countries still unpeopled. (Applause.) The Mayor then invited speakers from the audience. ■ ••

Othor Speakers. Mr. H. Holland said that lie wished to protest against the Mayor's decision that there ehould bo no amendment. He read his amendment which the Mayor had refused to accept: "That this meeting'of Wejlington citizens declares itself in favour of a peace policy based on the principle of no annexations, no indemnities, ijnd further resolves that the safety of the world's democracy will be better served by placing Samoa under international control, with full rights of self-government guaranteed to the Samoan people." He would not euppoit the resolution because it would play into the hands of German militarists. He would have supported the resolution to the extent of voting against any German naval station in the Pacific. But tho resolution did not moan that.

,3lr. W. B. Matheson, of Eketahuna. also rend an nmendment: • "That wo protest against the restoration of colonies in the Pacific to Germany until «ho retires within her pre-war boundaries and gives full restitution of Jlnlgium." Ho said that he did not want Germans back in Samoa again, but that was our only alternative ns honest nicn. We had come into this war declaring that we were 'not fighting for annexations, and 'it would be a much greater menace to the Empire if we broke our word than if we had Germans in Samoa. Mr. J. Batger said that he nad been moved to speak because of the spirit that had been shown by' some - people in the meeting. He had been asliimied_ to see that there were .such "ambulating parasites" in our midst. He saw men and women in the meeting who would drag, the Old Flag down in the dust. Ho declared that they should be interned. The end of the speech was ,1 shouting ioonl-°st between the audience and the speaker. There were others who wished.to sneaK, but the Mayor would allow no more.

Resolution Carried. He put the motion to the meeting, and it was carried on n show of hands by a substantial majority, probably of two to' one.