EAST AFRICAN CAMION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11449, 31 January 1918, Page 5

EAST AFRICAN CAMION.

LECTURE BY GENERAL SMUTS.

GERMANY’S ULTIMATE GBJEGT.

(Anst. and N.Z. Cable Association.)

Loudon, Jan. 29.

General Smuts, lecturing at tlio Koval Georg>;phical Society, described the East African campaign. It was clear that the Germans had decided to develop the country, not as an ordinary colony, hut as a tropical possession for the cultivation of raw materials. They had systematically discouraged white colonisation." Harsh as the German system was, he was not prepared deny that it was perhaps the most scientific, and in tho long nm, the most profitable form of exploiting . iho tremendous natural resources of the tropics. German colonial aims were entirely dominated hy a farread ring conception of world politics.

Germany's ultimate object in Africa had been tho establishment of a great Central African Empire .including the English, French, Kelgium, and Portuguese possessions. She was now claiming the return of the colonies in order to resume the march towards this objective. She aimed at securing recruiting grounds for vast native armies and naval submarine bases in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans dominating both ocean routes and bringing tho Anglo-American sea power to nought. Native armies would he useful in the next great war, to which the German general stair was already giving serious attention. The untrained levies of the Union of South Africa will go down before these German-trained hordes, who will also he able to deni with North Africa and Egypt without tho deflection of any white troops from Germ any. It will also mean a great army planted on the Hank of Asia whose force could be felt throughout the middle East as far as Persia and even further. The British Empire could not allow a militarism of the natives or that employed for schemes of world ]iower. The conquered German colonies can only be regarded as guarantees for tho futu-e peace of the world. He was sure this opinion was shared by the vast bulk of tho Dominions. They had largely teen responsible for the destruction of tho German colonial empire and the consequent prevention of the Gorman military system from spreading to the ends of tho earth. Thev should not ho asked to consent to the restoration to militant Germany of fresh footholds for mili- ■ tarism in the Southern Hemisphere endangering the future of their ris- , ing communities, 'they wanted a how Monroe doctrine for the south for protection against European .militarism.