COLONIES FOR GERMANY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 8

COLONIES FOR GERMANY

Upon his return from New Zealand and Australia Viscount Elibank has stated that "everywhere" there is a belief that the problem of Germany's claim for colonies is solvable, and that if European peace were at stake both New Zealand and Australia would not feel strongly about the return of the mandated territories they administer. His idea is that all colony-owning nations should help to meet Germany's demand in return for a contribution toward world peace. Unfortunately there is less hope than ever that such a concession to Germany would calm her turbulent spirit. Actually the more belligerent Germany becomes the weaker grows her case for return of territory. The other nations, no matter how eager they are to further the cause of peace, are bound to ask themselves whether submission, were that possible without being false to the trust reposed in them, would not intensify Germany's aspirations to push out her frontiers to the east at the risk of European war. There is reason to doubt the economic basis of the claim. Before the war the German colonies had little commercial importance for the Fatherland. As the Morning Post recently pointed out, there are two real arguments behind the campaign for restoration which, incidentally, may conveniently serve a political purpose. One is prestige. The Nazis regard control of backward peoples as necessary evidence of the status of World Power. The other is that recovery of her former colonies would give Germany a strategic foothold on some of the main world highways. There would be a grave danger therefore that redistribution of colonial territory by the other Powers in favour of Germany would encourage her to pursue her warlike way. New Zealand's individual interest in the question is relatively of a minor character, but her view must be the Empire view.