GERMAN VIEWPOINT

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1939, Page 9

GERMAN VIEWPOINT

DOMINIONS AND DEFENCE

The position of the Dominions in the protection of the British Empire was the subject of an article by Admiral Gadow, the naval correspondent of the “Deutsche Allgenwine Zeitung.” recently, says the Berlin correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian." The whole ot the he writes, is as strong as its weakest member. This is valid not only foi cannon and warships, but also for (cmmunications with the Mother Country.

Briitain’s colonial and Empire policy, he continues, aims at keeping ether Great Powers as lar away as possible from the Empire. Italy's gari-

ini. oi a foothold at the Red Sea. and on the Somaliland coast was n disturbance which is still beinc te’lt. The fulfilment of German} 's claim lor colonies in Africa, the Admiral says, is met by similar strategical objections on the part oi Britain, though in his opinion an agreement along the line of the- Anglo-Italian Agreement might satisfy the British. .He describes the argument that the Union of. South Africa must be armed in order also to ward off colonial

armies from the north us “one of the (i>rics : f j. i; ci thi;; age," as Abyssinia is *<:;>;• trmd from the Union, by 2700 Kikmrtres of jungle, desert, and j 1 (, Dominions, he writes, a:-- displaying an ever-increasing sen '- ci' independence, though this ■J. net necessarily reflect on their I'. all' in a war. Only Australia and New Zealand, he heli"'cs, have been wholly won over I; the idea of Empire protection. Australia’s industrialisation will make her militarily stronger, but will also render her more independent of the Mother Country industrially, while Britain will strive for greater agricultural independence. “Thus the strategy pursued by Britain begins to

destroy old commercial and family bonds.” “On the whole,” the Admiral concludes, “one sees British Empire defence —as far-seeing and generous as it may be—facing difficulties to-day of which it might be said that they arise from a disinclination to meet the shifting of power in the. world other than by the weight of military armaments.”