GERMAN GOLONIAL AMBITIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16978, 14 April 1917, Page 7

GERMAN GOLONIAL AMBITIONS

BY NO MEANS DEAD.

ARTBGLE BY THE TIMES.

Renter's Telegrams. LONDON, April 12. (Received April 13, at 8.10 p.m.) The rimes has published an article emphasising that German colonial ambitions are by no means dead'.' It cites numerous recent German responsible journals illustrating that ,the idea of a great colonial empire in Africa is firmly rooted in the German mind, and that the whole German colonial movement now subscribes to the doctrine.

quotes Professor Delbruck's statement that the German world policy is in reality noLJmjr but a colonial policy conceived on large lines. Dr Solf, in the Colonial Calendar for 1917, says : The history of Our colonies in this world-war has shown what we lack. It has shown that our empire -vvas not a proper empire but merely a number of possessions without, geographical or political connection or estahl idled communication. These experiences show what direction our aims must take. Our colonial political aim in future must be regarded in connection with all the other aims which we determined to attain by our world-war." It also quotes articles by Emil Zimmerman, colonial publicist, from the Preussiche Johrbucher, forecasting that 50 years hence tihe Germans will be in possession of Central Africa and \vhen great cities have grown up on Lakes Chad and Tanganyika, .and on the Congo River it will be possible for a German commercial traveller to be ordered ta take the Congo express to* Wilhelmstadt—which will then be the name of Stanleyville—in September and have his goods delivered in December. The journey from and to the Oongo will take seven days. Zimmerman m a, previous article had explained that Germaii Africa would make Germany a world Power, enabling her to exert a decisive influence upon the world and the political decision of our enemies and other Powers and exercise pressure in shaping the policy in Africa, Asia Minor, and Southern Europe. Moreover, a German Africa wilL find allies immediately in Abyssinia and in Moihammedan freedom movements and thus make the employment of black troops against our European frontiers impossible." The Times, commenting on the above, shows that this is not an isolated l view a-ut.is fully endorsed by the whole school oE German colonial thinkers at the present moment. They assume that the German Africa of the future will consist at least ■t the old German colonies, the whole of the Belgian Congo, and the whole of French Equatorial Africa, and contain adequate garrisons and munition factories with naval bases at Dar-es-Saalam at the mouth of the Cameroons estuary,' at the mouth of the Congo, on the coast of Angola, and on the coast of South-west Africa. The Times enlarges upon the dangers to the British "Empire if Germany is ? bl ® to « ari 7 out these ideals and have fortifications on either the east or "west coast of Africa. It- would mean that as soon as m a new war the Suez Canal is closed against Britain bv the Turks all the traffic between Britain, India, Australia, and South Africa must go round; the Cape and pass the coast of German Central Africa, necessitating Britain stationing a considerable fleet at South Africa and weakening her forces in. European waters. c

The Times adds : " Such utterances seem extravagant. So did the writings of Bernliarel and others before the war. Meanj s^ence the German Colonial Oflice does not mean that it is idle if it is tabulating and pigeonholing its plans."