GERMAN COLONIES IN THE PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 253, 13 July 1918, Page 8

GERMAN COLONIES IN THE PACIFIC

. Sir,—While in entire sympathy with the feeling at tho back of Mr. Mathewin's mi'id that we are not fighting for the aggrandisement of the British Empire, it seems at the same time necesenry to keep in mind, apart from the undesirabiliby of having Germany as a near neighbour to ourselves, the sharp distinction in the nature of the tenure of colonies under the British and German empires, tho former holding as a trustee, while the latter holds as a conqueror, with all that this implies. But as regards Samoa, at anyrate, there seems to bo a way out of the difficulty which does .not appear hitherto to have been indicated, and that is for us to agree that when victory is achieved the whole Sanionn group shall be handed over to the trusteeship of the United Stales on the understanding chat it shall not revert to Germany without the consent of the British Government and the Dominions. The United Stntes already hold, I believe, a portion of tho group, and this suggestion would only be modifying tho state of affairs in 1887 or thereabout, at which time the group was under tho joint administration of Britain, the United States, and Germany. The United >States have, in Cuba and tho Philippines, proved their ability as administrators. Of course, if it is objected that we may 6ome day have to fight America, then all 1 can say is that the sooner some fiery visitor from the blue destroys the world and its Totten civilisation the better.— . I am, etc., E.D.J. ' Nikau Bay, July 9, 1918.