THE GERMAN COLONIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1918, Page 3

THE GERMAN COLONIES.

i'.WJLL • STAND BY THEIR KITH AND KIN. Received Nov. 22, 2.10 p.m. , London, Nov. 21. Replying to Mr. Wade's enquiry regarding the Government's attitude regarding the German colonies, Mr. Walter Long said the utterances of Mr Balfour and Mr. Long on this subject had the entire approval of Mr. Lloyd George's Government, which would wholly support the dominions' claims. Mr. Lloyd George had made this clear to the representatives of the great Allied Powers. MR. BALFOUR'S STATEMENT. Mr. Balfour's statement was made at' the Australian and New Zealand Club luncheon to Mr.' Balfour and General Monash some little time back. Sir JasMills, of Now Zealand, presided. Mr. Balfour, in responding to the toast of his health, said he thought that the war had entered a phase in which there would be no reversal of our position, and we would enjoy the fruits of victory. In addressing club one's thoughts went beyond the United Kingdom. In his vsew the British Empire was almost unconsciously engaged in the greatest political experiment the world had ever seen. The United States had prior claim to tho title, but in truth the British Empire was more an empire of united states thaa the United States itself. "It is clearly impossible for Australia and New Zealand at the Antipodes to carry on close conversation with Britain trorn day to day," he continued. 'Time and distance prevents complete communitv of thought. Therefore, there has been thrown lipon several units a great political Responsibility and a greaA political task for which there is no precedent. The question was: Could we risa to this great responsibility? To do so We must see that, under no circumstances, ar* the great arteries of sea communication severed liy any foe. With (.his in mind, those German colonies by the efforts of Australia, New Zealand.and South Africa will not be returnea to Germany, "If they be returned, what security can there be that they will not be used by their original possessors as oases for piratical warfare?"

He had. given long thought and full consideration to the question, and under no circumstances, consonant with the safety of the Empire, should the colonies be returned- This was no selfish cr Imperialistic doctrine; it was ojie to which the whole civilised world as closely concurred as ourselves. Were the means of communication to "be at the mercy of a Power who refused to be bound by treaty, and who was as deal' to its pledges as to iV? dsc-ent methods oi hitmsuiitv and warfare?

"Fellow-cittern? of'mine from the remotest parts," he added., "we all may agres that it is in the highest interests of pi-ogres* and liberty that, if we arc to remain a. united Empire, we should -,v;th each other never again to b» at the mercy of any unscrupulous enerav. % • iloo= not rest upon force, but upon mutual comprehension, attraction. and common convictions that spring from on* origin, owning one 3ystem of laws and one system of ideas. It is our du'y (o carry on this gr«ii united Imperii! 1 ivork."

Hi- always cherished flifa view of our destinies, and always believed in its accorryiishment

Whatever faith l;e had utul m the unity of the Empire, he had to admit it had never been put to the test in any grear trial- Tho critics of earlier years regarded it as a 'fair-weather Empire," utterly ineffectual to meet the strain and stress which came to every human organisation. He held the faith that when the time came it would not prove ■unequal to the strain, whatever elso that er.uVl he -aid. Four years of war had supplied proof tullv and abundantly. Our enemies had many disappointments in regard to tho efficiency of the Americans, and In their naval and submarine warfare, but tho enemy had had no create? disappointment tjia/i when he found separate units of the Empire prepared to make all tho sacrifices Accessary to prevent our high Imperial ideas from being shattered. Hp did not Believe that a single German statesman ever thought that if Britain were involved in war she would find Canada, Australia, SV.v Zealand, South Africa, and India fighting by her side To him it meant more than that so many hundred thousand galfant soldiers had .been added to our force; it meant that the Empire stood for liberty, justice, and peace.

That mey were one in courage from whatever part of the Empire they were drawn, was the greatest joy to be taken from the agonies of a trial almost too heavy to ba borne. It left behind a memory of Australia and New Zealand fighting side bv side with their brctiiren for the Motherland in tho common cause, leaving them all with tho certitude that their efforts would not be vain, and would be crowned with a durable peace. General jlonash said:—

'The enemy's moral lias gone. The reason of our successes lies less in cold calculation and numbers than in the realisation that v/e havo got the enemy beaten. ''The story of the Australians' work during the last six months is a fine one. When the storm broke in March, three of our divisions had the good fortune to step in between the victorious Germans and Amiens. "

'•Riglit through April and May vra endeavored to make the enemy's front before Amiens as disagreeable as we knew how. We compelled liim To gtve up an attack which would have separated' the British and French, armies."

Th* captora of Villers J ßretonneu:t, in his opinion, was 'the crisis of the war It cave the illies breathing space, and enabled the Americans to arrive. It .paved the way for the August offensive. It was a staggering blow from which the enemy had not recovered, and was the reason of Ins military collapse. In six months the Australians had captured 20,000 prisoners, 350 guns, and recovered 200(T"squUfe' miles of territory. They had met ancT"clefeated 73 German divisions. 51e attributed the Anstra' Han fighting qualities to the State system of education. They owed mn?h to the regimental officers who had risen from the ranks.

The Australians lisß dewlopod fh» Instinct for war. He ridictiled tho stories of want of discipline. Thev werp the !?est disciplined in tl>e (Teld, and heeonld place tlie utmost reliance On them In battle. The Australians. wTio had n:>w been pulled out, Were enjoying a higMydeserved resf. Sir John Cook" fh'nnked Mr- Balfour i for tlie clear setting in which lie had Slaced the question of the oolaaias. ,\Ve

did not want colonies for the lust of territory or gain, but only for tlie reason that we believed it would be dangerous for ihe Germans to have them,