THE SECURITY OF THE SOUTH SEAS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 258, 19 July 1918, Page 4

THE SECURITY OF THE SOUTH SEAS

Every word that Sir Joseph Ward said at the British Empire League luncheon regarding the future of the German Pacific colonies has the emphatic endorsement of the people of New Zealand. He expressed his views in plain, strong terms. He wanted to make the British Government and the British public realise that New Zealand is convinced that the restoration of Gorman power in the Pacific would be a most disastrous and inexcusable blunder. To hand the conquered islands back to Germany would be an act of wicked folly, which would give rise to bitter feelings of resentment throughout Australia and New Zealand. In view of the suspicion that some British statesmen do not realise the strength of our determination to free ourselves for ever from tho German menace, it is well to have Mit. Lloyd George's direct assurance that overseas delegates will attend the peace council. The Australian and New Zealand representatives will be able to make out an unanswerably strong case against any proposal that.would replace the German peril at our doors. The Prussian military caste make no secret of the fact that they intend to use Germany's overseas possessions in the future, as in the past, for predatory purposes. According to tho Kreuz Zcilwia, one of Germany's war aims is' to take from England, France, Belgium, and Portugal such portions of their possessions as she needs for the establishment of her Central African Empire, which she inlands tn develop into a, great military power, training coloured auxiliary troops. It isgood to knoNy that tho British publio are beginning to understand and sympathise with our point of view regarding the Pacific. At the recent sessions of the Convocation of Canterbury Bishop Erodsham (formerly Anglican Bishop of North Queensland) moved a resolution expressing the deep, conviction that in

the interests of the native races the restitution of the tyranny of German rule in Africa or the South Seas should not he permitted by the Allied nations, either as a condition of European peace or through any policy of equalising 'European colonisation on economic or political grounds. The Bishop spoke of the many cruelties indicted on the natives by the Germans, instancing the death from thirst and gross 'ill-treatment wherever fcho natives had attempted to assert their rights. Tho- resolution was adopted unanimously. At the General Assembly of tho Church of Scotland, held in Edinburgh recently', the Moderator, reporting on foreign missions, said that great issues hung on the fate of German East Africa. Was it, he asked, to be German again—(cries of "No !") —or internationalised, or British 1\ (Cries of "British!") He went on to say that the opinion of those most experienced and sagacious in East African affairs was that retro- • cession to Germany would be a real calamity. The chief concern of i Bishop Frodsham and the I.loderator was tte welfare of. the natives, and from that point of view there can be no doubt it would bo a positive crime to put these liberated i peoples back under the heavy heel of the Hun. To restore to' Germany her lost colonics would also endanger the .security of the British Empire and that of all peace-loving nations, and would set up a ; barrier to that just and stable - peace the establishment of which . will be made possible when victory ; enables the Allies to impose their : -will on the Central Powers.