EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 31 January 1918, Page 5

EAST AFRICAN CAMPAIGN

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY GENERAL SMUTS (Australian^.Z. Cable Association) (Received Last Night, 0.1.3 o'clock.) LONDON, January 20. General Smuts, lecturing before Ike Royal Society, described the East African campaign. TTe said it was clear that the Germans had decided'to develop the country, but as a tropical possession, for the cultivation of raw material, and had systematically discouraged white colonisation. . , Harsh as the German system was, lie was not prepared to deny that it was, perhaps, the most scientific, and in the luu'g run the most profitable form of exploiting the tremendous national resources of the tropics ' The German colonial aims were entirely dominated by the far-reach-ing gconception of world politics. ■■<. , . ~ . ' k Germany's ultimate object i«> A frica was the establishing of a great dntral Africaui Empire, the English, French, Belgian, and Portuguese possessions. ... , She was now claiming the return of her colonies, murder to resume her march towards this.objects. She aimed at securing recruiting grounds for vast native armies, and naval and submarine bases ior the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, dominating both ocean routes, .and .bringing the Anglo-American sea-power to nought. The native armies would be useful in the next war, to which the German General Staff were already giving; ftetiouT'attention. The untrained levies of the Union of South Africa would go down before these Gorman-trained hordes, «who would also be.able tq, deal with North Africa and Egypt without tho deflection of any white troops from Germany. .'* - ■•■ • . It would' also mean that a great army would be planted on the flank or Asia, whose forces could be felt throughout the Middle East as far as OPersia, and even further. - ■> ' • . The British Empire could not allow the militarisation o£*the natives, or naval and submarine bases employed for schemes of world-power. ' The conquered German colonies on Id only be regarded as guarantees for .the future peace of the world. > . ''■ ' '■<■ ': i*., • ; He wag sure that this opinion was .shared by flie.yast pf ; *he Dominion's) .. .".! They were largely responsible for. the destruction of the German Colo nial empire, and the'eonsequ'ent prevention of the German military system spreading to the "end Of the earth. t They should not\Uo asked to consent to the restoration to militant Germany of fresh fodthojoX for militarism in the Southern Hemisphere, endangering tho future of their risi«ig communities. They wanted "a new Monroe- Doctrmo for the south, for the protection against European. miUtaxiSra. "''