COLONIAL ARMY WANTED BY GERMANY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1918, Page 3

COLONIAL ARMY WANTED BY GERMANY.

[EXPECTS TO TAKE COLONIES THAT I FOUGHT HER. The semi-official Cologne Gazette at the end o£ October published a leading editorial 'article dealing with German colonial troops, in which some, interesting conclusions indicative of future German policy if Germany should win the war. are readied. Tils paper first refers to '"assertions of the Entente press'' that before the wav th,(. German African colonies were organised militarily for the purpose of carrying on a war of conquest, against the African colonies of other European Powers, and mentions a recent, French publication "as saving that before the war there were in the German colonies 40,000 native troops with strong European reinforcements, all perfectly equipped.'' It then argues that, in fact, there were about 10.000 native troops, with perhaps 30(H) Europeans, all badly armed, with insufficient artillery and supplies, and yet this small army has kept an Entente army of about '200,000 men, busy. In view of this the Cologne Gazette argues that it is a great pity that Germany had not a colonial armv about five times as big. Had this been "the case, it says, the Entente wouM not have been able to bring vast numbers of colonial troops to the European theatre of war. At present, there is nothing to prevent England and France from continuing to employ vast hitherto untapped resources in the way of colored man power. Experience in this war has shown that the East African native, if sufficiently trained and led by Europeans, makes'an efficient soldier, while the South-West African is ever a better soldier, under similar circumstances.

"In future," says the Gazette, "in order to prevent her colonics from being [overrun by other peoples;-Germany must, utilise to the full these resources of man power. Such of these natives as lmvc hitherto not been subject to Germany must, come under her rule, while ail foreign colonies which have, made war against German colonies must become German property. That would lie the best compensation for the sullying of the. German name. A colonial army must be treated for colonial needs, and' must not be used in Europe, A big colonial army, based upon long service and the retention of time-expired soldiers in reserve, would be excellent for the economical development of Germany's old and new colonies, a.s discharged soldiers can be made into useful laborers.

'•Germany must have a strong colonial army to strengthen her position and at the same time weaken that of her enemies. who must never again be allowed to bring colored troops to their aid in Europe."