BRITAIN'S OVERSEA TRUSTEESHIP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 257, 25 July 1919, Page 7

BRITAIN'S OVERSEA TRUSTEESHIP

COLONIAL PROBLEMS REVIEWED A GREAT OPPORTUNITY Never before in British history lias there been so great an opportunity, and never has so imperious a demand been presented to this country to give to tho nations of the world a strong lead in tli problems of colonial expansion (writes Mr. John H. Harris in the "Fortnightly Ki'viev"). [t is obvious that the wastage of war and tho demand for I'iiw materials can be met in very large measure by increasing the productiveness of tho more undeveloped parts of the world, but just because this is so, a danger very real and very great also confronts tlie nations. I Misdirected energy in the tropical and ' semi-tropical dependencies will not merely spoll ruin, but can hardly fail to lead to another international catastrophe, ureal Britain, with her three centuries ot apprenticeship, has learned by experience, fortunate and unfortunate, the true secret of.- sucuess. Not the least service which the British nation can render to world progress Jβ to give to colonising nations that secret of colonial suc.cess and to bid them follow the path she has so successfully, if painfully, trodden. Policy is governed by relationship. The idea of "possession" as the link between tho Mother Country and tho overseas dependency is giving way to that of "trusteeship," or, as officially expressed, "protectorate." It was tlie theory of "possession" which lost to Spain her South American colonies; it was, at bottom, the root cause of the loss to Britain of the American colonies; and there are those who assert with no I little force that the attitude of national "possession" in certain colonial territories was one of the principal causes of the war. Great Britain, dospite the popular conception, has never encouraged or practised tho. "possession" theory in her dependencies. It is duo to this that tho nations of the world have generally acquiesced, and in not a fow instances approved, the extension of Britain's control over backward countries. It is true that there have always been some anxious to secure a departure from this method. But tho mother heart of Britain is sound, and therefore ner relationship to the scattered dominions and dependencies overseas will assuredly remain under the "protecting'' guiaanco ot a motherhood which seeks, first and always the good of the "colony." The new world must talk less and less of "colonial possessions." moro and more of "colonial responsibilities," moro and yet more of "trusteeship." The modern note of service to backwnrd races, service to undeveloped countries, must bo struck as the chord, lost perhaps, ■ but found again through the fhroes of a new birth of nations, as a summons to our best manhood.' The dying races of Polynesia "all for statesmanship and science to givo them new life; the heart of Africa calls to the nieii of science of the world to liberato it from disease and pestilence, so that a healthy throb may rejuvenate tho continent. Tho great rivers of Africa— the Niger, the Zambesi, the Congo, the Gambia—appeal to the engineers of the world to harness tho mighty energy of their surplus waters to some productive purpose; the arid zones' of the African continent, as large as Europe, ciy out for somo share of waste waters in order that they may bring fortn a new birth of vegetable oil, silky fibre, scented woods, and raw staple for the. comfort of man.

Colonial Burlens. But overseas territories mean butdens, mean heavy sacrifices, So aouud an economist as Mr. Harold Cox has reeonuy written of the German colonies as fcllunng assets, yet what a political and linancial liability must they be for many years to come to any nation which assumes responsibility for them! The total area of the late German colonies is more than five limes that of Germany in Europe. This gives some idea of tho magnitude of the administrative task, but other factors besides mere geographical area have to bo remembered. Tho future protectorate Powere, whoever thoy may be, were, even before the war, overburdened with dependencies crying out for a greater and a more efficient man-power, '10-uay the sources of supply have teen greatly reduced by the ravages of war. It will bo impossible to administer 'the late German colonies with less than 6000 to 10,000 officials—and colonial officials are not'made in a day; the dolicate task'of handling nativo'tribes requires a'meuauro of skill and experience, the absence of which always leads to disaffection, unrest, and "native trouble."

In the economic sphere a similar situ, tion prevailed; all tlie colonising Powers of Europe were the victims of incessant demands for loans and grants-in-aid of public works for their dependencies. Getmany met her obligations by providing something like ,65,000,050 a year towards local deficits. The post-war situation of the German colonies will not be met, or anything like met, by an annual subsidy of'five millions. But the burden of dependency territory does not even stop at this point j the territories under the protection of France, Belgium. Portugal, and 'England will need large expenditure, and will greedily absorb all our surplus man-power for years in order to make good the inevitable ravages which the war has mnde locally in the political and economic spheres'. Nor does even this exhaust the situation. The whole world will require an increasing rate of production. The tropics present greater possibilities in this respect than almost any other part of tho habitable globe. The factors which will go to make such increase possible are:— 1. A gradual redistribution of coloured' population so that tropical territories which to-day are unfertile through loss of population may once again become productive. 2. International measures upon uii adequate scale lor the abolition of those preventible Idiseases which have- decimated whole tribes, such as sleeping sickness and certain forms of^malarUi. 3. Adequate schemes of irrigation with a view to controlling waste waters and theroby tho reclamation of waste lands, which to-day are, either malarious ewamps through inundation-or er.orcliing zones through lack of water supply. •1. "Grants-in-aid" upon a scale commensurate with thu need. It is probable that half the sum spent en tin conquest of German East AMca would make the whole of Central Africa relatively healthy for the population and secure an ultimate flow of commerce which , would change the whole economic aspect of an ai'Bit'as large n.i'Europu. Thus the reclamation of tropic-id regions will require first a veritable army of administrators, engineers, men of science, and merchants if the work is to be done on a basis worthy of tho task, and with reasonable promise of success. The second requirement is much easier to find, namely, large financial subsidies. The Recompense.'

Though the burden of reconstruction may be exceedingly heavy the compensation is both substantial unii enuuring. Great Ilritoiti, more tiiuu any uthev nation, has reaped a harvest which ig at once the wonder and fhe admiration of the- world. First in time and volume is the loyal affection ol nearly 350,000,0(10 of pcoplv, win-. il thi'y show _ai;y .itasure ol unrest, only do su -because they wish to Bee a closer application of the principles of government upon which they have been reared by u disinterested motliei. hood. This loyalty and affection has led through nearly three centuries to a measure of contentment and picsperity hitherto unknown in the dependency of anj overseas Powers. The share which the Motherland industries have received lias been substantial, but, ufkr all, only represents the compensation which always follows disinterested efforts in seßin* the welfare and prosperity «t ollicis.