THE MARSHALL ISLANDS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2961, 31 March 1919, Page 5

THE MARSHALL ISLANDS.

(Sydney Morning Herald.)

"Some day wo will meet the British up on tho Pacific, and for that wo aro cvei preparing!” Just two months ago I was travelling through tho lagoons of tho Marshall Inlands, and met many of tho native chiefs and chief-women, potentates who hold their subjects firmly but wisely, and with, in whoso kingdoms peace ami prosperity reign. Peace and prosperity, however, have only come since tho ending of German rule four years ago. These islanders do not desire the return of their cruel German masters, and are praying ami hoping earnestly that their future will be placed in more kindly hands. Many of the chiefs aro notable for their wealth, and aro in possession of much cocoanut land, yielding in some cases thousands of tons of copra each year. They aro remarkable for their intelligence and for their admiration of all that is British, all speaking English quite fluently. They admit a hatred and disgust of all that is German, and would entertain me with stories of some of the extraordinary doings before the war of the Germans, particularly the German naval officers, as they Eatrolled the Marshalls in the Scharnorst, Geier, and other warships. Scenes that were to be enacted in the great war just ended, but which, primarily, owing to tho presence, strengtn, and promptness of the Australian navy, were never staged, were in constant rehearsal by the officers and crews' of German warships in the Marshalls of the central Pacific waters. It is evident from the stories of the chiefs that tho Germans gave free rein to tho maddest fancies, arising from their morbid thoughts of world conquest, and this took the form of acting deeds of “prowess” in sham naval engagements, always against the British. Deeds of naval smartness would be performed to the continual defeat of the imaginary foe. When accomplished in reality “some day, as the natives were told, tho world would he astonished at German naval superiority, and a new regime—German would begin in the Pacific. These madmen lived in their fool’s paradise, wasting thousands of pounds’ worth of shot and shell, in their distorted domination of the world. In a ceaseless state of exultation they startled the simple natives by a continuous and ominous toasting and boasting of what was going to happen to the British—and tho toast “Zum Tag,” “Zum Tag, could he heard day and night, Tho stories of the Marshall Islands chiefs challenge tho denial of Germany that she ever desired war. At this very moment, dreading tho decisions of the Peace Conference, she is whining and askiim the world to believe that her boasts ami toasts of “Dcr Tag,” “Zum Tag, and her silly “Hymn of Hate” were meaningless. Many thousands of times, these chiefs tell, they hoard and saw their German masters, to the loud accompaniment of “hochs,” “Damn 'the British,” and then raising on high their glasses with a clink and ail oath they toasted everlastingly to “Zum Tag,” “Zum lag, that “souio day, some day,” soon. Hatred of tho Briti&li, the Germans explained, was the meaning of that toast. Tho natives wore told to prepare for “Zum Tag, when tho German colonial empire of the Pacific would bo realised, with Australia tho central territory and seat of government. Sydney would bo tho Berlin of that Empire, and there a German monarch would hold bis court, and it was to Sydney tliat tho chiefs of all tho Pacific Islands would come once a year to pay homage to this representative of the Imperial War-Lord, tho man who would then bo master of tho world. On tho occasions of German holidays tho warships would put into one or other of tho larger iaroons, tho natives would bo summoned by the commander to come on board to witness demonstrations of loyalty to the nathorland. and to bo harangued by that officer as to tho might of Germany and tho place “some day” she was eaon to take in the world. Tho address would invariably end with abuse of the British—■that tho British wore dogs, and that the time was coming when the British Empire would bo ended- This mad fury against tho British was on one, occasion shown by tho captain of tho Geier, now interned in Honolulu, when he commanded tho natives as they camo aboard his ship to wipo their feet on & TJnioiy J<ich th&t was placed at the top of the gangway for that purpose. Oh these occasions hands would phi.Y the ships would he dressed out in all their bunting, the native women would bo invited on board to danco with tho sailors, and all night there would he endlees feasting and drinking. ‘‘Zum Tag, Zum Tag” resounding in laud and incessant toasts from every side. This feasting and drinking always led to an indescribable orgy at night-, Chiefs, mission-bred and temperate, as many of tfio Marshall Islanders arc, in refusing to acknowledge the toast of “Zum TV in strong liquors, were seized by sailors, their mouths forced open, and tho German oUiccrs would phW tumblers full of raw brandy down tho unfortunate men’s throats. Thf-U, maddened with sudden intoxication, they would VUU about, howling apd dancing, and, throwing off their scanty clothing, they would hack theiv bodies ini til ibe ***** with blood. These aye t|w traditions this proud GeVUUd'h' n«vy built up in the Central Pacific. How'(he native men and women hated tho coming of tho German warships , to tho lagoons! They dreaded tho very: presence of German oflfccqa, «nd in, (lib end tho sound of “Zym Tag” drove them, to hiding pfaces. If tho world wants to know vyherq tho greatest bitterness of fooling against the Germans exj-dv* let th e native peoples of islands, of tho Pacific bo questiPWd-. Another side hf tho “kuUured” German is demonstrated'm the i'vdloixvhvi eircum- , stance. On tho staff vS (ho German Hotel at dalulC the capital of tho Marshalls (the hotel is now closed by tho Japanese), there wore an undertaker and grave-digger. Tho duty of those “servants,” like hawks, watching an expiring prey, \.;qa fo keep a dose lookout upon traders, and others wlu> yvp»o a,hd “zunitoo ff.ccly, 'and, t'ho moment they dropped dead,' which was not (.lie case, these iiH'inbgfs of would poquee on flv?. 'sUiy \\«rm bodies, “box tfiein up.” iV; if was termed, and hastily b”i'v tb'dii. There was to be no time lost in funerals and burial services, for tpo drinkers in tho bars and saloons wpi'p not to bo disturbed—this was tiro stipet instruction of thp And; net; only tbc natives byd travellers can j the pandemonium, ‘ th,e guzidhg q.i, tWfct I Jaljiiit llotof. TTm pojoyW. drum \va,s lion® shandies of mdi beer, ami) there was a, 'nofdwmv-a vm <d voV, %ud “'4m. l*ag ! ‘ rang dut to, V-voi-y hour of tho day and night. Isa lives would b© carrying out their masters senseless from excessive drinking, or the undertakers would bo standing by to Gsatch away the dead. Tho months of Juno and July of 1914 were strangely busy times in Jaluifc Baguun, treran

steamers, some of 14,000 tons, wero arriving Regularly, laden with coal and general supplies, and tho secret was out that towards tho ond of duly of that fateful year an armada of huge tramp steamers, fully laden, and with tons of machinery, and a host of mechanics, was to leave Gorman China, direct for Majuro Lagoon. Tho natives wore sorely puzzled, and at ono time on tho verge of rebellion at the continual work, night and day, Sunday and week-day. Tho German officials were mightily reticent about tho great supplies arriving, and the sprucing of tho German warships which was going on with feverish haste. Then it was the chiefs began to hoar of the great tunnels beneath the cities of Germany' filled to overflowing with (lie munitions of war, that the city of Metz alone had over eight miles of such tunnels. That under Berlin there were acres of caverns in which were treasured gold and silver, a mass of wealth that van in figures to many billions. But there was nothing which so impressed the chiefs as tho sham battles off Jaluit or Majure. Then the German warships, cleared for action, would sally forth and assault a target surmounted by a Union Jack. There would bo wonderful manoeuvring, great broadsides of gunfire, shells bursting, and torpedoes dashing and flashing in the water, and all at the unresponsive target. Then, at last, with tho flag torn and battered, and the target sinking beneath the waves, the German ships, with bands playing, sirens shrieking, and bunting flying, would return with all seriousness to be acclaimed as conquerors and to receive the workedup plaudits of the native onlookers. The | officers would conic asiiorc in full-dress uniform, and there would bo a public reception by the German shore officials, much hand-shaking, and many congratulations, muzh boasting and toasting, and many noisy .“Zum Tags.” The bewildered natives in their simplicity would ask, “Why shoot-era target; lie got no gun; he no fight?” and the supercilious Germans would reply, "Zum Tag, Zum Tag; that is know we will blow the British ships from the Pacific.” “Zum Tag” has come at last, but not as tho cowardly Germans planned it.