PROPAGANDA FOR COLONIES

Southland Times, Issue 23650, 27 October 1938, Page 5

PROPAGANDA FOR COLONIES

British Efforts For Arms Pact MANDATES IN PACIFIC MAY BE IMMUNE NAZIS’ BIG ADVANTAGE IN AIR POWER (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October 26, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. A new wave of Press propaganda in Germany has made the return of the colonies the question of the hour, says the Berlin correspondent of The Daily Telegraph. It is considered the only outstanding question between Britain and Germany. The Daily Mail says that the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain), believing that an Anglo-German understanding is the best guarantee of peace, has laid down a policy of European appeasement, the aim of which is an arms pact to which France and Italy are asked to subscribe. An important part of the general understanding will be an arrangement about the colonies to meet the German claim to expansion, in which France is asked to join. The Australian Associated Press says it is believed that Germany has reiterated to Japan that she is not interested in the restoration of the Far Eastern colonies. This is considered to be applicable not only to the Caroline and Marshall Islands but to New Guinea and other territories mandated to Australia and New Zealand. The assurance will certainly hold while the German Navy is on its present footing. Japan has refused to answer questions about the administration of her mandate. It is believed that Germany’s first aim is a place in Africa’s sun. Doubtless the machinery has been prepared for the reoccupation of substantial areas. An unofficial map of Germany’s hopes seen in London shows a swathe of Central Africa extending from Angola. “YIELDING TO FORCE” The News Chronicle in an editorial headed “Yielding to Force” draws, attention to Mr Chamberlain’s broadcast on September 27, in which he was. disposed to resist an attempt to dominate the world by force, and quotes the frank admission by the Foreign Secretary (Viscount Halifax), in his speech at Edinburgh yesterday, that the German claim was pressed under an overwhelming show of force. “Mr Chamberlain; in spite of what has been done, is apparently .not so convinced even yet that he capitulated to force and gave a deadly blow to what remained of the machinery for a collective settlement of differences,” says the News Chronicle. With, the exception of the Lokal Anzeiger, the Berlin. Press does riot publish Lord Halifax’s speech, of which tile official news agency has issued an insipid version of 100 words. The Lokal Anzeiger praises Lord Halifax’s warning to opportunists j against meddling in other people’s internal affairs. “Their aim is guns against the Reich because they cannot cope with the life of the century,” says the newspaper. Germany’s front-line air strength before the Munich conference was 3000 aircraft, according to the newspaper National Zeitung, which is owned by the Minister of Aviation (Marshal Hermann Goering). It adds that based on the current programme it will be 6000 in 1940-41, 'when it is estimated that Britain and France will not have more than 3000 aeroplanes each. Germany has 750 air bases, Britain 260 and France 250.

The Berlin correspondent of The Daily Telegraph says that the publication of these figures at this juncture is evidently intended as a warning to Britain and France that Germany is so far ahead that all efforts to overtake her are useless. GERMANS IN AFRICA MORE CONFIDENT GOVERNMENT PERTURBED , PRETORIA, October 25. The Prime Minister of South Africa (General J. B. M. Hertzog) had a long conference with the Administrator of South-West Africa (Mr R. N. Conradie). It is believed that they discussed South-West Africa’s defences and more effective methods of counteracting Nazi propaganda. Mr Conradie emphasized the Unionist Party’s perturbation in view of the Germans being openly more confident of a return to Germany.

Germany’s demand for the return of the colonies of which the Treaty of Versailles deprived her involves far-reaching questions of prestige and strategy. The pre-war possessions of Germany covered 1,134,239 square miles, an area five times as big as Germany herself. The overseas empire of Germany was almost wholly tropical. For this reason, the hope that the colonies would prove to be an outlet for German emigrants was not realized. The total number of whites in the colonies--24,170—was negligible, and it included garrison and police. Of the whites, only 18,5000 were German settlers. The total population of the colonies was below 15,000,000. The people were native, and in a backward state of development. Of Germany's foreign commerce before the Great War, more than 99 per cent, was independent of her colonies. The products of the former German colonies, actual and potential, are tropical—rubber, coffee, cocoa As exploited thus far, the colonies are deficient in minerals. The colonies under the Germans did not support themselves. The result of totalling their budgets was a deficit. Revenues ran around £2,000,000 a year, but expenditures were three times that amount; and Germany made up the difference. The title of the former German colonies is now vested in the League of Nations. By authority of the League the colonies are held as mandates by seven countries, all members of the League when the mandate was granted. FRENCH POSSESSIONS The European-governed former German colonies, with one exception, are situated in equatorial Africa. France controls most of Togoland and the Cameroons, on the West African coast. Britain controls the rest of Togoland and the Cameroons, as well as most of the former German East Africa, now known as Tanganyika Territory. In addition, Britain holds a small Island in the Pacific called Nauru, which is valuable for high-grade phosphates. A populous area once included in German

East Africa has been added to the Belgian Congo. The colonies that have passed out of European administration are widely scattered. The Union of South Africa has taken over German South-west Africa. Japan holds what were Germany’s Pacific islands north of the Equator; these are small but numerous.

Australia holds the mandate for German New Guinea, and, generally speaking, the former German islands south of the Equator; New Zealand has Western Samoa.

Germany’s 99 years’ lease over the Chinese seaport of Kiaochow was ended by the Great War. Japan occupied the possession, but was induced during the Washington conference in 1922 to restore the area to China.

For these non-European colonies two considerations arise: The British Dominions— South Africa, Australia and New Zealand — are wary of proposals that would bring any military and naval Power other than Great Britain and the United States within striking distance of their shores; and this naval and military Power in the Pacific might not be Germany, but Japan. ADMINISTRATION OF TOGOLAND FAVOURABLE REPORT BY LEAGUE BODY RUGBY, October 25. A Press message states that the League’s Permanent Mandates Commission concluded its sitting with an examination of the administration of Togoland in 1937. Captain C. Linney, representing Britain, {ave a long report. The commission said that the development of Togoland was proceeding in a completely satisfactory manner, and it noted that the population had made great material progress in Togoland, which had greatly increased in prosperity as the result of the cultivation of cocoa and cotton.

The commission Li particular registered its approval of the useful work carried out by religious bodies, which have opened numerous schools.