Ashburton Guardian The Ashburton Guardian. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1937. GERMANY AND COLONIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 37, 23 November 1937, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian The Ashburton Guardian. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1937. GERMANY AND COLONIES.

In his speech at Augsberg Herr Hitler counselled Germany to raise louder and louder the demand for the return of her colonies, asserting that the world would be unable to refuse it. He made a point that time would bring the Powers round to acceptance of the Nazi argument, but he added a remark that gives rise to the suspicion that he is not relying wholly on that solution of the problem. He said: The main thing is that the German Army is here and that Germany has lost the inferiority complex. As a matter of fact, Germany has never had that complex. What has happened is that her recent rearming has enabled her to assert in outspoken terms the conception of her status and destiny held by those in authority. Actually the more belligerent Germany becomes the weaker grows her case for return of territory. The other nations, no matter how eager they are to further the cause of peace, are bound to ask themselves whether submission, were that possible without being false to the trust reposed in them, would not intensify Germany’s aspirations to push out her frontiers to the east at the risk of European war. There is reason to doubt the economic basis of the claim. Before the war the German colonies had little commercial importance for the Fatherland. As the “Morning Post” pointed out, there are two real arguments behind the campaign for restoration which, incidentally, may conveniently serve a political purpose. One is prestige. The Nazis regard control of backward peoples as necessary evidence of the status of World Power. The other is that recovery of her former colonies would give Germany a strategic foothold on some of the main world highways. There would be a grave danger therefore that redistribution of colonial territory by the other Powers in favour of Germany would encourage her to pursue a course that unfortunately cannot be regarded as making toward the sure preservation of the peace of the world. Recently a distinct bid for British support was made, and it would be interesting to learn how far Lord Halifax’s statement regarding the Imperial Government s attitude influenced Herr Hitler in his latest presentation of the case. Britain has plainly stated on previous occasions that while she favours an international review of the colonial question, particularly with reference to adequate freedom of general access to raw materials, she is not disposed to hand over to Germany any colony or mandate. Apparently Hitler, finding that Britain is not likely to assist him to the extent desired, and being unwilling, in the present state of Europe, with the drawing together of France and Russia, to jeopardise friendly relations with a well-disposed people, considers it good policy to give the softening influence of time a greater part in the solution of the problem than he has hitherto been disposed to do.