FATE OF GERMANY'S COLONIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 110, 3 February 1919, Page 5

FATE OF GERMANY'S COLONIES

THE SYSTEM OF CONTROL POWERFUL INFLUENCE IN FAVOUR OF MANDATORIES OPPOSITION OF OVERSEAS DELEGATES By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright London, January 31. Official: The disposal of the German colonies has been the principal subject at several meetings of the Council of the Great Powers, and also at the daily sessions of the British delegation. Mr. Maseey is appearing before the council, and both Ministers are attending the delegation conferences. The contentious issue turns upon the system of control, whether ■it shall be British respecting Africa, New Guinea, and Samoa, or by a mandatory as trustee for tho League of Nations. Briefly stated, the conflict of ■interested opinion was between proved methods and concrete proposals and precious ideals. There is a powerful influence in favour of adopting the mandatory system, owing to the-strong feeling against further aggrandisement. There are obviously many valid objections to control by a trustee on behalf,of an undeveloped and frankly experimental League of Nations whose machinery /is still undevised. The mandatory system means in plain terms that the former German Colonies will be attached to the nearest neighbour representing the Power now in military occupation Of the territory concerned. Then the league would appoint a mandatory or trustee and lay down general principles aimed at the establishment of an Administration primarily for the betterment of backward inhabitants, but definite conditions will :be imposed upon these. The expenses of administration will be met fiscally with ;oqual Customs charges for all nations. Then if the cost becomes a burden to the mandatory- country the league is to ; bear a proportion of the deficit. The overseas delegates opposed the system on the grounds of vagueness and in!9ecurity of tenure and unknown machinery, which possibly would create an unworkable fiscal system and open the door to enemy propaganda among the native races. Consideration was further given to-day, and a provisional arrangement will-probably l>e agreed' to on the principles of the mandatory system, but it ie hoped that a special arrangement will : be made for the African and Pacific colonies, in order that the laws of mandatories or trustees will be applicable to such territories.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn, DECISION TO J3G LEFT TO CONFERENCE SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION BY LEAGUE. London, January 30. The Paris correspondent of the Central Agency 6tates that President Wilson has accepted a proposition that the fate of the colonies must be. decided by the Peace Conference on condition that the decisions are subject to ratification by the League of Nations.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ARRANGEMENTS TO BE REVIEWED AFTER TWO YEARS. ' London, January 31. ' The Exchange Telegraph Agoncy understands that the arrangements for tho colonies are subject to review after two years.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asan. PROPOSALS FAVOURED BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE. (Rec. February 2, 5.5 p.m.) Paris,, January 30. Tho Exchange Telegraph's Paris correspondent Says it is believed that Mr. Lloyd George favours President Wilson's proposals regarding tho colonies, which the Conference will eventually adopt, despite the strenuous opposition.—Aus.N.Z. Cablo Assn. "A DREAM WITHOUT A PRACTICAL BASIS." (Rec, February 2, 5.5 p.m.) Now York, January 30. The New Yprk "Sun," editorially, stales:—"President AVilson's scheme for control of the German colonies seems to bB a dream without a practical basis. The colonies must be used for the settlement of Germany's indemnities."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. ■ THE MANDATORY PROPOSAL A COMPROMISE SOUGHT. London, January 30, Tho "Morning Post's" .special correspondent in Paris states that the Imperial War Cabinet met Mr. Lloyd George- and Colonel House (U.S.A.), to discuss the mandatory proposal. Air. 1 Hughes, Mr. Massey, and General Botha put forward tho case for the dominions. Efforts are being made to reach a compromise. One suggestion is that a distinction should be drawn between territories captured by British and those taken by the dam in ion troops; but this would hand over Mesopotamia and East Africa to the League of Nations, and there is no evidence that it would prove acceptable to America.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. SELF-DETERMINATION OF CIVILISED TERRITORIES. London, January 31.. It is reported that the decision of the Conference regarding the colonies will permit the self-determination of civilised territories such as-Mesopotamia, and government by a mandatary Power where the country is incapable of self-govern-ment.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. i PRESIDENT WILSON HOLDING FAST TO HIS VIEWS. Paris, January 31. I President Wilson holds tenaciously to the view that Australia. New Zealand, and South Africa must not obtain [colonies except from the League of Nations. It is hinted that the President will return home unless his ideas are tioned in some form—Aus.-N.Z. Cable 1 Assn.. TO BE NO "PEACE OF LOOT." Paris. January 3>. President Wilson, at Wednesday's sitting of the Conference, referred to the German colonies question in plain terms, refusing to consider a "peace of loot. — , Aus.-N.Z. Cable kia y j. DIVISION OF COLONIES WOULD ENDANGER THE LEAGUE. (Rec. February i, 5.5 p.m. New York, February 30. The United Tress Paris correspondent says :—"President Wilson believes that the League of Nations' plan will receive j ' its death-blow if Germany's colonies nro divided among the Allies una nu::exed. The President fuels that the league must settle ,the question Of disposition of the colonies by internationalisation—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. MANDATE SYSTEM OFFERS NO PERMANENCE , DANGER OF A TANGLE OF CONFLICTING RIGHTS. (Rec. February 2, 5.5 p.m. London, January 30. The 'Tall Mall Gazette" states -.-"It is regrettable that tho secrecy of tho Pence Conference does not permit that the public bo made acquainted with the arguments regarding the ex-German colonies, particularly as some of the plans at their disposal are both novel and complicated. ■■ The natural sequence of the war would be the transference of the German possessions to the nations which they menace. The chief objection to President Wilson's proposal is that it oilers no security for permanence of the mandate, because the league which gives can also take it away. This would be a special hardship if applied to undeveloped territories, which must for some years be a considerable charge upon the holders. The mandatory system may easily betray us into a hopeless tangle of conHicting rights and obligations.' —Aus.N,2, Cable JVsan.