GERMAN COLONIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 October 1918, Page 7

GERMAN COLONIES.

DR. SOLFS OUTBURST. '"REPLY" TO MR. BALFOUR. T> London, Aug. 23. -Or. Solf, the German Minister who still presides over the Colonial Office at Berlin, although for the past four years tine post has been a sinecure, delivered a long speech at a reception given by the German Society, in the course of which he endeavored to reply to Mr. Balfour's reeent speech on the fate of German colonies. He also alluded in vague terms to the peace question, of course, accusing the Entente of being the sole obstale to agreement. Dr - Solf remarked: "Coming to what Mr Balfour said about colonies, I quote verbally, 'W e have expanded our territory. We have taken Germany's colonies, and I do not believe that anyone who has .really studied Germany's methods of colonisation will be surprised when we say that the improvement is great. Shall we return these colonies to' Germany, thereby placing at Germany's disposal U-boat bases on all the great trading routes of the world, and also of world commerce German rule in the colonies would mean tyrannical rule over the natives and the establishment of a large black army in Central Africa.' "This means that England conquers land, and asserts that sihe could govern it better than its lawful owner, and from this derives a claim to annex it. By such actions could the British world Monroe Doctrine be explained. Does the British State Secretary know nothing of the decimation of the eod.red populations of various African colonies by the Ententes' actions, nothing of enforced recruiting in British East Africa, as admitted in the House of.Commons, nofhing of gigantic armies of warriors and workers from British and French colonies? Did he consult his colleagues of the English Colonial Office as to what it meant to wage war with natives against natives? Has he any idea of the immeasurable damage' to the colonial mission of all civilised races which must, result from the use of black armies in battle against wihite races and the bringing of the former to Europe ? Does Mr. Balfour seriously doubt that the fate of all Africa would have been better if England had not disregarded the Congo agreement? Has he forgotten that Germany is the only Power waging war which has definitely adopted the demilitarisation of Africa as one of her war aims? Is Mr. Balfour ready to promise the same on beibalf of England, and to break with French methods and Churchillian plans ? ''l do not expect an answer to these questions. Mr. Balfour's speech was not intended as a statesmanlike declaration. A khaki election casts its shadow before. The short history of our colonies shows that neither in Africa nosr in the Pacific Ocean did we wish to pursue, nor have we pursued, an aggressive policy. We strive for no supremacy and no preponderance of power. We wish for a compromise between the Colonial Powers, and we desire a settlement of colonial questions on the principle that colonial possessions shall correspond to the economis strength of the European nations and to tho merits which tihey have shown in history in the protection of the colored races entrusted to their care. Economic energy r.lone is not a sufficient claim. Colonisation means mission work. Thoso States which endeavored to act before the war on the principle of respecting humanity also in the colored races have won a moral rigiht to be colonial powers. This right was won by Germany before tho war. The Tieau gesto' of the liberator with which the annexation of the German colonies as God's work is made plausible is blasphemy. Mr. Balfour appears to think that justification for the instinct for robbery of the Englihs Imperialistic spirit is something obvious. It i 3 so obvious to him that he doea not notice how ridiculous it is in one and the same breath to brand Germany's striving for general mastery and to put forth for his own country an open claim to an undisguised policy of annexation in Africa and Asia?" "HATED AND DETESTED." Mr, Massey, in an interview, said: "As for the German colonies, Dr. Solf says that neither in Africa nor in the Pacific Ocean has Germany pursued an aggressive policy, and suggests that for the future colonial possessions shall correspond to the merits which Germans have shown in the protection of tho colored races entrusted to their care. I have no personal knowledge of Africa, b'lt I do know something of the Pacific Islands, and I am able to say that Germany is ibated and detested by the native races there, who, on the other hand, have shown in the most practical form their sympathy with Britain and Britain's allies. Natives of New Zealand, Fiji, Nine, Rarotonga, and Gilbert Islands, and other places have L.\ade the supreme sacrifice for the great e v \use wiiiich has drawn British citizens to the different theatres of war from evei-y corner of the earth. I have never heard, however, of a native of any of the islands occupied by Germany prior to the war who wants to fight for Germany and against Britain. As for. the Anglo-Sax-ons in the Pacific, we have had experience of German methods of peaceful penetration, and their methods ot carrying on a war, and wo don't want either until Germany atones for her offences against God and man and gives security fpr better behaviour in. the future, if that is possible. Until then Germany should not be allowed to Tank as one of the civilised nations of. tho world."

HE CANNOT PREVENT •-VICTORY.; Dr. Splf, in conclusion:— J "■Let us not allow ourselves to' be deceived by Mr. Balfour. He fights with a. keen ..eye. against the threatening' possibility of peace. If the'enemy stateswen had fought so vigilantly against the threatening war as they do to-day against the threatening peace, then there never would have been a.world war. In all lands there are to-day groups and men which can 'be regarded as centres ■if European conscience- In these centres there stirs something like a recognition of the fact that a way into the open can only be found if the war-wag-ing nations awaken to a knowledge of their common tasks. How can we avoid future wars, how can we assure the efficacy of international agreements in ca*se of fresh wars, how can we assure the safety of non-combatants, how can 'we spare, neutral States in future, how we protect national minorities, how can. we regulate our common duties of honor towards the minor races of the world? These are burning -questions for humanity. .The victorious march of tlie com- J mnn aim is certain. Mr. Balfour can - postpone that victory but ho cannot'-