FUTURE OF THE GERMAN COLONIES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 400, 13 August 1918, Page 1

FUTURE OF THE GERMAN COLONIES.

A SOLDIER'S VIEWS

Mr. T. E. McMillan, who has been with his regiment, the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, at the front for the last 18 months, writes to us interestingly on the above question. Mr. McMillan will be remembered as having been at one time on the staff of this paper, and at the time of joining the Army was Editor of the "Waiuku News." Under date May 18th, he writes from France as follows: —

In copies of the " Times " of March, which I received lately, I noted with pleasure two stimulating leaders on the questions of enemy aliens and the future of the late German Pacific colonies. Both were most timely, because a large minority of vacillating persons are inclined to allow those conquered possessions to revert to Germany if peace would thereby be hastened. This is a weak, shortsighted policy, the fruits of which would be even much more bitter for Australasia than the exploits of the Emden and other German raiders during the early part of the present war. The veriest tyro Snows that, with the immense development already achieved in the power and radius of submarines, hostile naval bases so near our trade routes and shores would enable an enemy to do us an incalculable amount of damage. He could practically separate us from (he rest of the world altogether! With fcur export trade in butter, cheese, meat, and hemp cut off entirely, there would be financial chaos in New Zealand. But even in peace time a thoroughgoing, methodical - race like tke Germans would soon usurp a tremendous amount of our trade, and obtain control of large departments of important industries. That would be bad enough ordinarily, but we all know how the accumulation of reserves—metals, for instance—by a potential foe affects us when hostilities commence, to say nothing of the wealth acquired from us, and used to our detriment. But it strikes me as being superfluous to point out any of the disadvantages of a "no annexations" policy as far as we are concerned, for they are sufficiently obvious to all men of average intelligence —the others don't matter

The personal side of the question will probably appeal more strongly than the commercial aspect to the general public. All decent-minded people are profoundly horrified at tho nameless atrocities committed by the Germans during the present war, acts perpetrated not in the heat of temporary passion, but as the result of cold, cruel, fiendish policy. A number of good Britishers, whose hearts aTe commendably soft—but not so soft as their heads—are charitable enough to express the opinion that Germany is suffering from a temporary madness, or meglomania. Stuff and nonsense! Any reader of history will tell you that the traits the gentle (?) German has displayed during these past four years aTe not new ones to him. In the Napoleonic wars the frightful cruelty of the Prussians disgusted their allies, among whom were the British. History and numerous private Utters testify luridly to this fact. And later, in 1870, the wilful burning to death of a poor old bed-ridden, paralytic man was only one of the examples of Prussian kultur that were made. Germany is now thoroughly Prussianised: like master, like servant—Prussia and the incorporated states which form the modern Germany. Since coming to the Old World 1 have seen many thousands of Germans, hailing from all classes of the community—labourers, artisans, professionals. Like ourselves, their faces display innumerable varying degrees of intelligence, temperament, and character, but in one respect they certainly do not resemble us—nearly every German one meets, be he soldier or civilian, has a certain cunning, crafty, surreptitious look about his eyes, and gives you the impression he is always on the look-out for a chance to cheat you. The eyes are the windows of the soul, psychologists tell us, and reflect what is in the mind. That is true, as every Allied soldier knows, in regard to the Germans. They are a clever, hut unscrupulous, race, and certainly not fit neighbours for the straightforward, honest-eyed Britisher. Oust them from adjacent possessions—and keep them out!