PRO-BRITISH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 278, 24 November 1938, Page 6

PRO-BRITISH.

SAMOAN ATTITUDE. NO RETURN TO GERMANY. I PROPAGANDA 18 IGNORED, j Xazi Germany' 9 campaign for the re- 1 turn of her former colonies is attracting a jfre«t deal of attention, jmTticn- I larly in the ecnintries. which are mo*t 1 clonelv affecte<l hV the (ierman claim*. Very little lias been heard ho far repardinp the position a nil attitude of Western Samoa, and it may therefore l>e of interest to review this position in the lijrht. of little-known fact*, says a letter 1 received liy the ''Star'' from Apia. I The (Jermaii claim for the return of "all former colonial possesions'' ishoiihl l)e treated with a frrain of «alt. In one of hi« speeches. Hitler formally re- ' nounced any claim to territories in ; "Eastern Asia." which apparently meant j that he would not claim the former | "protectorate" of Kiaochow with Tsinjr- , tao in China, taken from Germany hv Japan in 1915. and at present apaitt , occupied by Hitler's Japanese allies. j Strong Fortifications. I There are also persistent reports that Nazi Germany has assured .Japan that she does not intend to claim the former German Marshall and Caroline Islands, now under Japanese mandate, where reportedly some (H).O(MI Japanese settlers are working mainlv 011 *u;:ar plant ations. and where .lafian lias uiulouhtedly . evented etrmijr fortitications. Some time! apo the Japanese declared that under no circumstances would they hand over I these islands to anybody, and whoever j wanted them mi<rht try and j?et them. ]f (ierinany's ally Japan feels 110 obli- | jration to return the "robbed" colonies > to her friend, there is quite obviously | even less obligation for countries like Australia and New Zealand to return their mandated territories. Ignoring any possible sentimental value of Western Samoa to Germany, which administered the territory for only 14 years while Xew Zealand has 1 been in oc. uj ation for nearly 2-"> years, j and turning to the reality of economic I fact*, it must be remembered that | Samoa, even under German rule, has' always been economically dependent 011 j [Australia and New Zealand, and is so j at present more than ever. 1 I ilost of Samoa's cacao and copra is , taken bv the United Kingdom, U.S.A. and countries other than Germany, while the banana, industry, created by the late Sir George Kichardson, is wholly dependent on the New Zealand market, and has developed into the most important and only profitable industry of tlii* territory. In regard to iuifNirts, New Zealand, Australia and England supply the overwhelming bulk of Samoa's needs, with Japan and Germany playing A minor ami decreasing part. It is impossible, furthermore, to assert that Samoa's production eau play more than a verv insignificant part in remedying Germany'* lack of raw materials. The present Samoan export of• approximately KMX) tons of cocoa beans and 12.000 tons of copra is unlikely to show a substantial increase for a long time to come. j Immigrants Not Wanted. f It is true that before the Great War Western Samoa had a few hundred (ierman settlers, maiifly planters and traders, but owiny to the large increase in the European population of mixed descent (from 1000 to 3000) there is no room for white immigration and settlement. which would be at the expense, artd to the detriment of, the local-born population. The question may well be asked— what is the attitude of the population of Western Samoa, native and European, to a return of tile territory to Germany! It is interesting in this regard to recaJl the spontaneous offer of the Samoan representatives, the Fono of Faipule. during the recent European crisis, to supply a force of over 1)000 Samoans for service at home or overseas, coupled with an expression of sincere loyalty to the British flag. These sentiments were quite natural considering that the Xew Zealand Government has granted the natives a large and liberal measure of selfgovernment and representation, -which they would probably lose under the rule of Nazi Germany. There is also considerable apprehension in regard to the religious aspect of a return to Germany under Xazi rule. There is no doubt that the beneficial influence of the various missionary bodies, unhindered under the liberal and tolerant New Zealand Administration. would be. seriously interfered \< itli. handicapped, and probably replaced bysome kind of Nazi or semi-pagan ideology. The section of the population which would be hardest hit by a Nazi adm'n'*tration would be the mixed blood group, numbering about IJiKMt. Under Nazi Germany's radial policy this section, now enjoying equal political and economic rights with the wlfite settlers, would probably be discriminated against and lose their present privileges. Self-determination Sight. Under the circumstances it can be stated that practically the whole of the European and native population of the territory is strongly opposed to a return to German rule. The right of self-determination should be applied not only to (ierman minorities in Europe, but also to other territories claimed by Germany. A plebiscite. in AVestern Sfynoa would probably result in a 05 per cent majority against a cession to Germany'. There are no German business interests in Western Samoa, though there are about a dozen (ierman planters who have leased plantations from the Government. There are only about 20 German white nationals, and though the 1936 census showed nearly 500 German nationals amongst the local born, the large majority of these do not talk the German ianguage and have no ties with Germany. Of late a certain amount of Nazi propaganda has been carried on amongst local born and natives, who are told that the return of German rule ( is imminent. These moves, however, I have no visible influence on the great mass of the people of the territory.