EMPIRE AND BARBARISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14292, 11 February 1910, Page 4

EMPIRE AND BARBARISM.

The last Somaliland expedition was caused by the unavoidable Imperial duty of protecting against attack tribes who had been induced to abandon tribal feuds, and who, having become prosperous through increased industry and advantageous trade, were attacked and plundered by the Mullah. In the inevitable course of events British forces created an outer zone by proclaiming the Pax Britannica wherever they established outposts and guaranteeing immunity against attack to | all friendly tribes within the belt. Recently advanced British outposts have been withdrawn in the usual effort of Liberal Administrations to limit. Imperial responsibility and again the inevitable happens. As fast as effective British protection is withdrawn the friendly tribes, once raiders, now peaceful producers, are attacked in their turn by the Mullah whom they once followed. No British Government, whatever its theories, can allow this, and a renewed military occupation, with a further extension of frontier, may be regarded as certain. The incident is graphically illustrative of the relations between the Empire and barbarism.' The Imperial Government, however reluctantly, is forced to maintain peace on all its frontiers, and can only do so by automatically incorporating all barbaric breakers of the King's Peace. Also, the incident illustrates, on a minute , scale, what would happen in India, upon a colossal scale, were British troops withdrawn and the helpless Indians left to look after themselves.