Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-21
GOSSIP FROM BERLIN
Herr Dernburg's Program for
Second Tour of Africa.
SELF-GOVERNMENT PLANS
Comment on New Book Relating to
Financial Defaulters.
MOTOR RACE IN ABYSSINIA
Herr Holtz Describes His Journey
Across That Kingdom-Kaiser's
Moustache.
MOTOR RACE IN ABYSSINIA

Special Cahlegram to The Star.
BERLIN Nav oO.-Herr Dernburg pro-
poses again this year 10 make tour OF
inspection in Africa, which. it is under
stood will he devoted mainly to the study
of the possibilities and prospects of the
German Southwest Africa protectorate
When the reichstag reassembles the sec
rotary of the colonies will introduce and
see passed bill providing for the con-
struction of several railway lines and con-
nections in the African colonies, and will
then Immediately start on his journey.
The program of this second 6Our, as hlth-
erto revealed, includes lengthy stay in
English African colonies.
AS at present arranged Herr Dernburg
will travel via London to Cape Town.
and will ascertain by careful personal OBJ
servation the conditions prevailing and
the results achieved in Cape Colony. Ma
tai the Orange River Colony. the Trans
vaal and Rhodesia. After traversing these
colonies he will travel overland to the
north of German Southwest Africa. 1t is
anticipated that the tour will occupy four
months. Herr Dernburg will be accom-
panied only by official personages and
other persons. such industrialists AND
representatives of newspapers, will be alb
solutely forbidden to join the party.
There would seem to be justification
for the assumption that the German colo
NAL secretary intends to collect data
which will enable him to approach with
greater confidence the question of the
propriety of granting selfgovernment to
Sout Invest Africa, a question which there
is reason to believe will shortly be raised.
Whether the initiative came from the Ger
man government or from the German IN
habitants of Southwest Africa is not clear,
but it is certain that there is very live
movement in the protectorate Tor the IN
PRODUCTION of self-government. and that
this movement is approved. If not &C
tually encouraged, by the imperial au-
thorities.
Change in Government Attitude.
This startling change in the attitude of
the imperial government is probably
largely due to the influence of the neigh
boring British colonies, and, seeing that
even the Portuguese colonies adopted the
system of self-government at the begin
ming of this year. it does not wish Dana
raland to be left behind.
a committee was formed of representa-
tives of all ranks and classes in the pro-
tectorate. and DR.. kulZ, burgomaster or
Buckenberg. an eminent authority on mu-
nicipal administration. went to the col
ony. whether at the request of the lnhab-
itants or of the authorities is not stated.
alton with the parties most nearly con-
cerned He also explained matters in pub
lie meetings at Windhoek. one of which
was attended by Gov. Schuckmann. who
expressed a desire to become personally
acquainted with the wishes of the inhab
itants AS a result of these deliberations
and discussions plan of local self-gov-
eminent was drawn up which was to be
laid before the government council of the
protectorate at the end of March
The plan provides "A basis for communal
administration without distinguishing be-
tween town and country communes. The
administra ton of the commune is to be
placed in the hands of the community
itself under the simplest forms. The plan
provides for no complicated administra-
tive machine, for no special right of citi-
zenship- and for no class distinction
among the inhabitants except that i'm
posed by considerations of nationality and
race.