GERMANY'S LOST COLONIES.

Taihape Daily Times, 31 January 1918, Page 5

GERMANY'S LOST COLONIES.

COMPREHENSIVE DECLARATION

BY GENERAL SMUTS

LONDON, Jan 29

General Smuts, lecturing at the Royal Geographical Society, descrine d the East Africa campaign. He said it was clear the Germans hac decided to develop the country, not as an ordinary colony, but as a tropical possession for the cultivation of raw materials. They systematically discouraged white colonisation. Harsh as the German system was, he was not prepared to deny that it was perhaps the most scientific, and in tne long run, the most profitable form of exploiting the tremendous natural resources of the tropics. Tne German colonial aims were entirely dominated by their far-reaching conception of world politics. Germany's ultimate object in Africa was the establishment of a great Central African empire, including the English, French, Belgian, and Portuguese possessions, Germany was now claiming the re-_ turn of her colonies in order to resume her march towards this objective. She aimed at securing recruiting grounds for vast native armies and naval and submarine bases in the Atlantic and Indian oceans dominating both the ocean routes, and bringig the Anglo-American sea-power to nought. The native armies would be useful in the next great war, to which the German general staff was alreacy giving serious attention. The untrained levies of the Union of South Africa will go down before these Germantrained hordes, who would also be able to deal with North Africa and Egypt without the deflection of any white troops from Germany. It would also mean a great army planted on the' flank of Asia, whose force could be felt throughout the Middle East as far as Persia, and even further. The British Empire could not allow the militarisation of the natives, or naval submarine bases which would be employed for schemes of worldpower. The conquered German colonies can only be regarded as guarantees for the future peace of the world He was sure that this opiriibn was shared by the vast bulk of the""Dominions. They had been largely responsible for the destruction of the German colonial empire,* and the consequent prevention of the German military system spreading to the ends of the earth. They should net be asked to consent to the restoration to militant Germany of fresh footholds for militarism in the Southern Hemisphere, thus endangering the future of their rising communities. They want a new Monroe doctrine for the south, for their protection against European militarism.