GERMANS IN AFRICA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9540, 20 June 1921, Page 5

GERMANS IN AFRICA.

THE MANDATE CRITICISED.

PROVISIONS OF PEACE TREATY

(Per Press, Association Copyright. ) (Received June 20, 8.45 a.m.) . CAPETOWN, June 18. The Assembly is discussing the mandate for the South- West Protectorate. General Hertzog said the report of the Commission gave the impression that the mandate was nothing more or less than annexation, which he denounced as a scandalous international fraud to which he would never consent.

Asked if the Germans had the right to refuse to become citizens of the South African Union; the Acting-Pre-mier explained that the inhabitants were no longer German subjects under the treaty and were no longer citizens of any nation: They could not become citizens of the Union except at their own • request. ■ The Government had no intention of using compulsion. ■.-. . The Minister for Justice explained that the mandate made i^ quite clear that German possessions had been'surrendered to Allied and Associated Powers, and not to the League of Nations' Powers. The Union had the absolute right to repatriate every German subject. They had no status under the treaty and nowhere m the treaty was it contemplated to give them the right of self-determination. He admitted there was not, much difference between these provisions and annexation for practical purposes.