HOPE OF GERMANY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 13, 15 July 1936, Page 11

HOPE OF GERMANY

ITALY'S EXAMINE

LOOKING TO BRIT/ft'N

Germany's colonial ambitioi"as, contrary to expectations, did nojt figure in the British questionnaire presented to Wilh'elmstrasse (wrote Frederick T. BirchaU from Berlin to^thta "New York Times" recently). Nevertheless, they are bound to arise in thta diplomatic debate which the questionnaire will initiate, although for reasons of their own German official quarters would prefer to have the Homeland and Austrian questions out of i\ le way before getting into further complications.

Developments in Africa dufil'ng the recent weeks have had the effect of bringing the question of colonnss into the foreground. The fact that Italy has conquered a new colonial (empire, of which it will be difficult to deprive her, has aroused German hopos tremendously. In the German ; view Italy's conquest of Ethiopia, despite the violent protest of all the peoples in the League, has ' had two important effects on the Reich's own colonial ambitions. • • -

First, it has thrown the cblonial question open to international discussion; second, it has jeopardised the British dream of Cape-to-Cairo colonial continuity, and Britain will need help if that dream is still to tbe realised. Therefore, in the appr'CWuching negotiations to be initiated by th<j; questionnaire, as well as in the forthcoming negotiations with Italy over, Ethiopia, the colonial question must aj>me to the forefront and Germany stands an excellent chance of getting net' share in the redistribution which she [begins to regard as inevitable.

How that is going to be accomplished depends on circumstances. It is becoming probable that Germa-npr will not need to "take" colonies. The)/ may be given to her by arrangement. Apparently the only question to ;be decided is whose colonies—or mandates —she will get. That by hook or .crook Germany is going to get some edlDnies may not be taken for granted. The German Press openly voices fts> coni fidence in this ultimate outlook.

"MUST BE OVERCOME!" The "Deutsche Allgemeine ZeV.tung," for instance, summarises its viewpoint in the following: "The front «f the have-nots has been weakened. • How? By one of the impoverished taking some possessions. All have witnessed thisi And just as a division iof the world into victors and vanquished had to fail, so a division of nations into haves and have-nots' will have ; to be

overcome." i It will be seen from this that the reverse, side of the Italian conquest has not escaped German notice. Some Germans are willing to accept sit face value Mussolini's declaration that in the matter of colonial possessions Italy has now become satiated and caiji enter the ranks of conservative defenders, but there are others who are not so sure. They realise II Duce's ncjed for allaying British apprehensions just now, but they evaluate cleariy the temptations of the future. If ■•possession of a large part of Ethiopia was necessary to link Eritrea with" Italian Somaliland, will there not soaji arise an equal demand to unite LibyjT with the rest of Italy's new African empire through Southern Sudan? And in that case what will be the, future of Egypt? ,

However, that is for Great jßritain to worry ever. For the preset! t German hopes for colonial possessions, although enhanced by the Italian victory, are not based on Italia 1 aid. Germany believes that a deal with Britain is her best bet. In tlaei Commons there has been talk of j>i>ssible redistribution of mandates.

Prime Minister Baldwin's .refusal to commit himself as to the future gave great encouragement to Germany, but more emphasis stfl I was I placed on Mr. Seville Chamberlain's declaration that mandates am not colonies and that mandated tq rritory I can be considered as part of th e Brit-1 ish Empire only in a somewhjit col-] loquial sense. Germans read ii7to Mr. Chamberlain's words a clear iijcerence I that mandates may be redistributed with the approval of the League and the assent of a mandate-holding'Power. POSITION UNREVEALHD. What has never been revealti d publicly to the German people is South Africa's set determination r&aver to! give up South-west Africa, .'Japan's \ and Australia's equal resolve ito hold what they have acquired in the ■ South Seas, and Britain's and the L eague's inability to exert sufficient pressure; on any of these to make tlj em do otherwise. Actually the only [present possibility of restoration to the} Reich of her lost possessions seems, to lie in the- Camcroons. Nobody fjrcally | wnnts them. ■ ]

The present status of Gemi) in col

onial claims is covered by Point 18 in Hitler's memorandum to the Powers on March 31, which said:—

"Germany expresses her -willingness to re-enter the League of Nations, either at once or after the conclusion of these agreements. At the same time the German Government again expresses the expectation that within a reasonable time and by means of friendly negotiations the question of colonial equality of rights and separation of the Covenant from its Versailles setting will be cleared up." Meantime the expectation expressed by the Fuhrer is being promoted by intensive colonial propaganda at home. It takes' the form of mass meetings and Nazi organisation meetings which rarely find mention in the newspapers. All classes of the population are now being persuaded that German colonial acquisition is an urgent necessity for economic reasons—as a source of rawmaterials produced and bought with her own currency, as an outlet for the younger and more ambitious elements of the population, and because the Powers now holding mandates over former German possessions /do not need room as Germany does.; And when the time comes to press these claims a united Germany again 'will back Hitler in any course he may take to brir.g them towards fruition.