THE TEUTON UNREST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8551, 17 February 1906, Page 2

THE TEUTON UNREST.

THE COLONIAL: A GERMAN AUSTRALIA, (By AN ENGLISH RESIDENT IN GERMANY, in the "Pall Mall Gazette.") A considerable residence in Germany, as well as an intimate acquaintance with most phases of German life, has brought me of late yeare into continuous personal contact with the übiquitous fact of German political restlessness. That this restlessness has spread, end is still spreading, downwards from the topmost to the lower strata of the nation does not admit of contradiction. And when it is possible to recognise among the numerous ingredients oftihis state of mind many whioh seriously affect the future of German relations with Great Britain, it is of obvious importance to oonsider whether this feeling is based on a transitory or logioally permanent foundation. That the latter is undoubtedly the case we should try to realiee more clearly by understanding it. This national unrest of the Teuton may be classified under two heads, as Colonial and European. It is with the first I propose to deal on the present occasion as more immediately affecting ourselves. It is the German creed that the Franco-German war opened up a series of national problems and national duties which Germany cannot ignore without risk of her ruin as a nation. " The first necessity/ say the Germans, "is a closer political and economical association with all the other States of German race — i.e., Austria, the two Netherlands and Switzerland ; the second, th© "acquisition beyond Europe of suitable colonial possessions which will noti only give us elbow room for the annual increase of our population, but wil l render us economically independent of other countries." This is the creed of the RAPIDLY-GROWING PAN-GERMAN SENTIMENT, which aims at the creation of a " Greater Germany " peopled by the German race beyond the seas. Its danger lies in the fact that, unlike the object of her emulation, Great Britain," Germany has yet to possess hexself of suitable territories for colonisation overseas, and in addition to this awkward fact she does not yet possess the fresh territories which Germans are beginning to regard as their heritage in Europe. if you carefully point a German to the fact of his country's ownership of vast possessions — amounting, to over 1,022,868 square miles, or about five times the_ area of Germany in Europe— in Africa and elsewhere, which, it is arguable, might suffice for some time for their surplus overflow, he demurs impatiently to this view on the ground that these territories cannot be regarded/ as suitable in the German sense of the word ; that they are nearly all sub-tropical, and consequently not adapted for the settlement of Germans in large numbers. Germans, it is true, do not deny the trade value of tropical colonies, but their ambition is for settlement colonies in a temperate zone. Should you offer to condole with them on the world's lack of such vacant places at this late date, they will 6hrug their shoulders with an air of reservation, if polite j or, if the reverse, you will have no difficulty in gathering that modern Germany, rich an-d powerful, is not to be held up on her path to her lofty destiny by such obstacles as this. In considering this attitude, we need not deny that there is every excuse for Germany's colonial aspirations. When discussing the matter with members of the Colonial verein, one remarks that their bitterest feelings on the subject are derived from THE ANNUAL GERMAN BLOODDRAIN which has been going to fertilise othernations at Germany's expense. Leaving out the vast numbers who make the United Statjes of America their home, the number of Germans in English colonies is also very large, as was recently shown in "Die Post," under the heading of " Germans in English Colonies." In Canada there are about 340,000. In English South Africa, next door to their own South-West African territory, are over 35,000 HighGermans, and in Australia no fewer than 106,500. These three English colonies contain 481,500 German inhabitants, who easily and willingly become English and assume English habits and modes of life, numbers even forgetting their own mother tongue. In startling contrast to these figures, the number of Germans in German colonial possessions two years ago numbered no more than 4085.. But, says the Colonialverein, " while we yet lack suitable oolonies "—the menace of this provisionary phrase should be noticed — "•our <efforts must be directed to the prevention of any denationalisation and to the preservation of the national feeling of our race in these foreign countries," the object undoubtedly being to utilise such German nuclei to the best advantage at the fitting time. I have not thought it useful tojsuggest it to a German, but there seems good ground to doubt whether the German nature and disposition are capable of making a success of any colonial possession t especially in the presence of any consider?able native population. For, apart from the question of settlement by her own people, much more might and should have been made of the fine colonies Germany already possesses. So bad a speculation; however, are they regarded by the financiers of the Empire, that not even patriotism can induce either these or private investors to risk their capital in them. Thus I recollect a German acquaintance declaring with considerable emphasis that he would not think of going to German East Africa, because civilians were not treated there as members of sooiety, but were regarded as only fit to be'dragooned by officials. Another remarked, " No, it is impossible to do anything in a German colony. There is too much Bumbledom there." A third, engaged in the China trade, was asked why he did not settle at Kiao-chau. He replied. " Why should IP I have far more political and personal liberty in Hong Kong under the British flag than under my own. In Hong Kong lam somebody; in Kiao-chau I am only a common oivilian." A leading German colonial official confessed to e.n En^ish ! friend, " It is impossible for us to have prosperous colonies under our present system. I have been an official myself, and well know how we look upon things and persons." In spite, however, of this indisposition of Germans to live under their own colonial flag, a deeply-rooted conviction, inconsistent as it may seem, has 6eized upon the whole nation, from the Highest to the lowest, that GERMANY MUST OBTAIN COLONIAL TERRITORY other than she at present possesses, be the oost what it may. "It is not so much a necessity as a natural law, ■ declared a German friend, as he referred me to his nations present^ yearly increase of population amounting to about 800,000, more than double that of Great Britain. This and their equally wonderful industrial development form at once, in German eyes, the legitimate incentive and material oasis for the pursuit of this daring policy of expansion. And, remember, Germans in pursuit of euch an objective will prove every whit as cold-blooded and insensible to rested

interests ac tie natural law they believe themselves to represent. ■ The most prominent characteristic odBervable in German social life to-day jj an active consciousness of the Power o» the Empire. HeiT Smidt is not only becoming fw l«s unostentatious and unassuming, but self -aesertive and temb g Chauvinistic into the bargain. He wU not hesitate to assert openly, W <w> undoubtedly the greatest military^ tion in the world. We are the ablest nation in all department** of science and the fine arts. We are the best ooloniste th© b«st sailors, even the best stiopkeepers." Nor is this a hypothetical, but an actual, statement; and, moreover, the speaker added, "In » f 6*" years we shall possess the best fleet, ana then, perhaps—" v Yet tliis man was a sober, responsible merchant, who lived half his time in England, and drew the major part of his income from his trade in our country. The fact is, this Etmgry craving for expansion and the possession of territory to which Germany has no reversionary rights is fast developing into a species of hydrophobia^ and the question of who gets bitten first M becoming one of seme general interest. # For, with that singular want of reticence which distinguishes even them statesmanship at the present time, Germans do not attempt to hide what form certain basic considerations withj them. It ia well to recognise their import. Germany has developed througbi the sword, therefore, the sword is A NATURAL AND LEOmM ATK MEANS OF EXPANSION. Further, most of the habitable and . thinly-populated lands oversea axe lm» Anglo-Saxon hands. Ergo, ■by a natural mental process it has beooma , a subject of consideration familiar /|» the official and the unofficial mind alake whether it would be possible at some future time to wrest these suitable territories from Great Britain or America. For myself, during my Jatel close connection with German: life and thought, I have had no exouse to, re* main in darkness witkregard to the particular solution of wiis problem to which Germany inclines. The belief M that Great Britain is in its- dotagje, and destined within a measurable period ta justify historical precedent by falling a prey to a young and more vigorous people. TRo Monroe Doctrine blocks th© way in America, w3iere the offeneiva ariS defensive potentialities: of tie United States are regarded as constitut ting too formidable an obstacle, unless they can be arrested by force exerted at some psychological moment. At present, then, argue the zealous members of the Colonialverein, it 'is no use thinking of securing a foothold in South! America, where a .numerous and flourishing German oommunrfy exists in Brazil. This, however, may be rei garded as a nest egg, with which it will doubtless be possible to deal favourably in tihe future. But there are other portions of the globe where, in a temperate climate, German colonies might be founded and successfully developed. All that is needed is the psychological moment for seizing them. GERMANY AND AUSTRALIA. It will doubtless only amuse the avetv» age Englishman, with hisfpride in hi* great Empire, to learn that the object of Germany's especial envy aad ambik tion is the great island continent of Australia; nay, more, that ft is no un-r common thing to 'hear the question of its acquisition by Germany earnestly! discussed by highly intelligent and rej aponsible men. They argue with, much! show of reason that a race which can raise^no more than 4,000,000 inhabitants, either by immigration or natural growth, to populate a vast territorjj like this has no right to anticipate ; 'a; permanent occupation. The fact that the English have ceased to increase ana multiply in proportion to such terri-» torial claims ipeo facto proclaims them; forfeit, declares the prolific German, proud, and justly so, of the fertility ox his race. When a nation refuses to breed it forfeits even, the right to maka it® will and there is many a bitter jestf to be heard to-day directed at the ridiculous dog-in-the-manger spectacle , presented^ by a vast and magnificenih" * country held by an exiguous population, that will neither reproduce itself itt sufficient numbers nor favour immigration. Such a country, contends, the German thinker, with Nan undeniable ' show of reason, is inevitably destined to pass into the hands of those who will , make better use of it than its present ownerst Therefore, when Germany! prepares a big navy, when she acquires I island territories in > Australasia i points d'appui, she is only making wise 1 provision against the day when, as she: hopes, she will enter into her looked- ! for heritage. In the minds of German people, therefore, Great Britain and Greater Britain, are more and more coming to be regarded as the first necessary objective, "as the ancient and sluggish whale," explained a kind* ly German recently, "•■who- must soon encounter the vigour of the German ewordneh." .« ' • ' Let me conclude by quoting the rei* cent remarks of a prominent German! politician, wihioh very clearly define the present mental attitude of increasing numbers of the German people toward* this country and the question of G«> many's future overseas : — "England inaifita on. being the only great commercial and naval Power in: the world, and is only willing to allowother nations the favour or owning small fragments as enclaves wedged, in helplessly' between her possessions. This it is which we neither can nor in* tend to tolerate. The good things of this world belwngto all civilised nations in common. As England is not expect, ed to give way peaceably, tfte only alternative is force in the shape of an alliance of Powers against her, or by th«i seizure of some fortunate conjunction! of circumstances."