PEACE CONGRESS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 7563, 6 May 1919, Page 2

PEACE CONGRESS.

NEW ZEALAND DELEGATION

DISPOSAL OF ENEMY COLONIES: A PROVISIONAL AGREEMENT,

(From R. Riley, Official Journalist.) PARIS. 1-2-1919. (Delayed owing to influenza.) After a keen exchange of views at Die numerous sessions of the Allied and Associated Powers in reference to the disposal of the former German colonies, there ".as proimilga'ted by the British delegation a drait resolution represent, ing a basis ior a provisional agreement., It did not by any means express the real views of the representatives of the British Dominions, but it had been provisionally accepted by them as a compi omise upon a difficult position. Great Britian had deliberately accepted the principle of mandatory control, but cue Dominions held out for certain reservations and specific safeguards, these latter being directed against the general principle of an open economic door to all nations trading with the territories to be mandatorilv controlled on behalf of the League of Nations. All the del^(ifttes were agreed that it would be almost a catastrophe if F,ome decision were not reacht»d. So it was decided to accept two doctrine of a mandatory for all conquests in the German colonies ancTalso those in the late Turkish Empire.

It was generally conceded that sever.nl classes of mandates would have to be recognised and provided for in order to meet the varied conditions in the different territories to be so administered.

There would first be the necessity for mandates applicable to countries where the population was civilised but not yet organised where p, century might elapse before the people could be properly organised and be capable of self-determin-ation. Arabia may bo cited as an example coming within that category. In such cases it would lie obviously impossible to give the people full selr-govern-rnent and at the same time prevent the various tribes or units from fighting each other. Thou, a very different kind of mandate would be required for can. nibal colonies where people were eating each other, and possibly for a long time to come might be more disposed to .respond to their priniitive appetite than to the idealistic principles of the paternal League- of Nations! Tropical countries situate a long way from the country of tho possible mandatory—New Guinea, for example—would also require distinct and separate consideration. Lastly, there would have to be mandates applicable only to countries which formed park of the organisation of an adjoining Power "who would have to be appoiritsd the mandatory. It was made clear that the proposed provisional agreement would apply only to those parts of the Turkish Empire and the German Empire -which had actually been conquered. Other places, such as, say, (Smyrna, Adalia, and North of Aeatolia, would later have to h& dealt, with on their merits

In view of the fact that most of the provisional agreement was subsequently embodied in the Covennnt of the T/eaguo of Nations, it may now be permissible to place the agreement on record, in order to show the grotmds for the opposition of tho British Dominions' representatives to some of tho provisions which ha,d been intended originally.to have si general application. There were eight clauses in the Provisional 'Asrreemeiit. and of these, two had Iwpii designed specially to meet f the main objections of the Dominions. Tho clauses, were-as follows —• (1) Having regard to the record of tho German in the colonjps fdrmVrly part of the German Tsm. pij-e.atid't^ the menace whichtho poscession by• Germany of submarine haws' ir many parts-of the World would-neces-sarily constitute to- tho freedom and security1 of nli nation:";, the Allied and Associated Powers we acci'eed tha.t in no circumstances should an^ of the German colonies be restored to Germany. (The purport of this clause was anounced in the British House of Commons by Mr Lloyd George). (2) For similar reasons, and nwre particularly because of the historical mis-government by the Turks of subject peoples and the terrible massacres of Armenians and others in recent yeartf. •tilie Allied and Associated Powers are agreed that Armenia, Syria, Mesopotamia, Palestine ,md Arabia must l-e | completely severed from the Turkish i 'Empire. This is without prejudice toj the settlement of other parts of the Turkish Empire. (3) The Allied and Associated Powers' are agreed that advantage should '»c taken of the opportunity afforded !>y tho necessity of disposing of those colonies and territories formerly belonging to Germany and Turkey which are inhabited by peoples not yet able. to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world, to apply to those territories the principle that ■ the well-being and development of such peoples form a sacred trust of civilisation, and that securities for the performance of this trust should be embodied in the constitution of the League of Nations

(41 After careful study they are satisfied that the best method of giving practical effect to this principle is that the tutelage of such peoples should bo en.*rn3t"tfd to advanced nations who, by wishes of these communities must be a ence or their geograpical position, can best undertake this responsibility, and that this tulelag" should be exercised by them as mandatories on behalf of the League of Nations. (5) The Allied and Associated Powers are of opinion that the character oi the mandate must difFer according to the stage of development of the people, the geographical situation of the territory, its economic conditions and oth\?r similar circumstances.

(Q) They consider that certain communities formerly belonging to the Turkish Empire have reached a stage of development whore their existence as independent nations can bo provisionally recognised subject to the rendering of administrative advice and assistance by a mandatory power until such time a"i they aru able to stand alone. The wishes «>f those commusities must be .1 principal consideration in the selection of tho mandatory power. (7) They further consider that other peoples, especially those of Cent-rat Africa, are at such a at age that the mandatory must lx» responsible for tin* administration of the territory subject to conditions which will guarantee the prohibition of abuses such as the slavfc trilde, th« arms traffic and the liquoi traffic, and the prevention of the military training of the natives for other than police purposes, and tho establishment of fortifications or military anl naval bases, and will also ■secure equ.il opportunities for the trade and commerce of other members of the League of Nations

(8) Finally they consider that there

are territories, such as South-West Africa and certain of the islands in the South Pacific, which, owing to their small size, or their remoteness from tho sparseness of their population- or their centres of civilisation, or their geogra. phica.l contiguity to the mandatory state, and other circumstances, can be best administered, under the laws of the mandatory state as integral portions thereof, subject to the safeguards above mentioned in the interests of tlie indiginoas population. In every case of mandate, the mandatory state shall render to the League of Nations an annual report in reference to the territory committed to its charge. The agreement was accepted as a lo'ig stride towards the composition of differences, although it appeared impossible to find in the keen discussion that followed any definite indication of what it would ail mean in practice. The agreement did nut cover many obvious difficulties, such as the financing or mandatories, the interurationai paymsnt of deficits, tho fixing of liscal tanifs, and so on. Ther, there was tho additional question of satisfying the disturbed communities which were not represented at the Conference. But th»i» was one essential upon which the most; ardent supporters of the mandatory principle were perfectly unanimous. This was the necessity lor maliing the mandate in every instance fit the cass as the glovtS fit« the hand.

The agreement was only provisionally accepted by the Dominion's*' delegates, Mr. Hughes agreeing tentatively pending confirmation by his Government. Mr Massey frankly admitted that both his Government, and he would have preferred direct control, sinco the administv.i* tion of South Sea natives represented no problem to New Zealand, whose recori in respect of the Maoris had proved the virtues of the Dominion's policy as regards the treatment of natives, but he was prepared to agree provisionally to tbo draft resolution. Ja.pan aiso ;icquiesced. So tho provisional agreement was thus rather vaguely accepted by the conference us "a gratifying precursor of a final agreement." Much requires to l>e done at the moment of writing before the fate of the former German and Turkish territories can be definitely determined.