COLONIAL SUBMARINE BASES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 January 1939, Page 6

COLONIAL SUBMARINE BASES

f AN ADMIRAL ON GERMAN AIMS. "Why should Great Britain surrender to a beaten foe the colonies which j she captured, colonies which under Nazi rule would once again be a threat to the vital communications of the Empire?” asked Sir Roger Keyes, M.P.. speaking- in the House, of Commons. "It cannot be contended that they are needed or would be of economic value to Germany, that she needs them for the supply of raw I materials or as a home for her suri plus population. They are needed for nothing but as a strategic threat to the British Empire, which the Germany of Bernhardi’s day was determined to destroy. With the lead we possess Germany cannot hope in our lime to build a navy to challenge our sea supremacy, but she has reserved the right to build an unlimited number of submarines, and in the recent crisis her submarines wore located as | far away as the South Atlantic, ready jto prey upon our trade routes. That I was a serious menace, but it would be ! much more serious if Germany posI sessed ports which <;he could use as j submarine bases on the African coast. II trust that the Government has taken serious note of this warning, and of ! the strategic considerations which ■ make it imperative to resist the de- ' mand for a return ol the colonies. A i peace by negotiation which is depenI dent upon the return of the colonies | could not be a permanent peace, beI cause they would always be a threat !to the communications of our Em- ! pire.”