The Daily News. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 28. SOLF'S SPECIAL PLEADING.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 28. SOLF'S SPECIAL PLEADING.

The Gorman Colonial Secretary, Dr Solf, has hitherto been regarded as having few, if any, ideas beyond the quetsion of the German colonies. Exactly why he was detailed to make a speeeli before some unnamed German society is not quite clear, but that the Chancellor or the Kaiser inspired the text of his remarks may be taken for granted. There is such a marked contrast between the tone of the speech in question and the speaker's previous rhetorical fireworks on the same subject, that it would seem the object in view was to subtly manoeuvre his theme so that it would fit in with the German peace offensive, otherwise it is hardly likely that he would not only have referred pointedly to Mr. Balfour's recent enunciation of British war aims, but did so with a recklessness which passes understanding. His opening remarks were, unfortunately for him, ill considered and largely cut the ground from under his feet. He claimed that consciousness was spreading amongst the German workingclasses that the retention of what were the German colonies before the war was a vital question of Germany's honor. Why this dragging' in of the alleged views of the people'( Merely a plausible, thin-l.v-tl'sptnised trick of parading a (i; iii'ic ,iiseiiiiment that might !)i' iluuiO'ln to weigh with the I IThere may have also booii the additional reason thai the <-.]ai«i was designed to empl»a<«iw s'lio-equent • tntement in which he professed a belief th&t

Mr Balfour did not express the mind of the British people, inferring that lie (Dr. Solf) had the advantage over Mr Balfour in that respect. The idea that the German working classes have just awakened to the fact that their country's honor depends on the retention of the captured colonies is a marvellous item of news that may he sensational, but is certainly not true. The Pan-Ger-mans who dominate the Teutonic policy make 110 secret of the reason why these colonies should be returned, and that reason is innimical to the peaee of the natious and a constant menace to the British overseas Dominions. Like most special pleaders, Dr. Solf not only starts from false premises, but becomes involved in absolutely untenable contentions. Tftere is a ludicrous element of daring in his denial that Britain can govern colonies better ' than Germany. Britain can point with pardonable pride to conclusive proofs of the success of her colonial policy. Nothing should be more convincing to the Germans than the voluntary presence on the battlefield of the sons of the Empire arrayed against the Teutonic .armies and glorying in the sacrifices they are making for their Motherland. In that Dr. Solf will find a reply that needs no supporting argument. Passing on to the elaboration of his belief, Dr. Solf asserted that Ms nation had won by its humanity to colored peoples a- moral right to be a recognised colonial power. During the war the world has had many proofs of Germany's so-called humanity. Her treatment of the people in the occupied areas and in her prison camps is a fair sample of her ti eatment of the colored peoples. We know to what extreme of cruelty she can go, but no stronger words of condemnation have been written as to her illtreatment of natives than those which have emanated from her own leading men. • Here is a sample. MajorGeneral von Puttkamer .wrote: ''The entire German colonial policy is based on the principle of Europeans depriving the inferior iiatives in foreign lands, by main force, of their land and maintaining our position there bv force. >y Then, as to the treatment of the Eatives let Schoke speak. In his book on the German colonies he says that the German missionaries at first agreed to act as labor agents among the missionaries but when they saw how cruelly the laborers were treated,, how in a year a fourth of them died "and had to serve as manure for the land," while other iniquities were perpetrated by their masters, the missionaries "could not face' the responsibility before God and their consciences of being parties to such an unjust and wicked business. This fits in exactly with what we know of German "humanity" or devilry. All unbiassed people qualified to judge will certainly endorse Mr Massev's assertion that the native races'in the Pacific "hate and detest" Germany, whereas they have shown practical sympathy with Britain and her all les. Knowing the possibilities of allowing the Germans to establish Vireless stations, submarine bases and aerial fleets, and having experienced Germany's peaceful penetration and war methods, we are not likely to accept V l '- ,SoU s assertion that Germany does not wish to pursue an aggressive policy, though there 'is no doubt as to her desire that her no 7? P° ssessi °M shoqld correspond to her economic and military strength as well as to her military necessities There is a bland disL ° a, ' d 01 Germany's being a law unto her self, when Dr Solf gravely urges that an endeavor be liiade to cultivate more confidence" in Germany. j t T , m : } German Colonial Secretary to e2 plain how Germany, on her own showing, is entitled to any confidence at all, W hen she treats solemn agreements as scraps of Paper. Dr Solf is entitled to Credit tor his ingenious and desperate attempts t° whitewash Germany, but , . er absence of a basis, on winch to make ,1 successful superstructure deprived him of all possibility of being taken seriously It would be quite safe, though not po-itic, to allow the question of ne German colonies to be settled by the principle of self-determina-tion. It is the duty and intention of the Allies, however, to make the safety and security of the world their first consideration, and this can only be achieved by confining the Germans to their own country.