The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-05-04
TO INVESTIGATE
CONDITIONS IN
GERMAN AFRICA
SECRETARY FOR THE COLONIES
HAS DECIDED TO SEND OUT A
SPECIAL COMMISSION TO LOOK
INTO MANY PHASES OF CUES
TONS.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

Berlin, May 3-The secretary for
the colonies has decided to send out a
special commission to investigate con-
ditions at Duala the seaport of the
German colony of Kamerun in Africa.
A storm of protest has arisen in Ger
many against the alleged high handed
proceeding of colonial authorities of
kameTun, who wish to diSpOSSess the
entire negro population of Duala in
order to establish there a purely Eu-
ropean quarter with sanitation and
other modern improvements. It is
claimed that this cannot be done SO
long IS the natives with their wretched
huts and other insanitary modes of
life occupy a consi derable part of the
ground needed for the white settle
ment.
The Reichstag which has been asked
to appropriate 100000 to compensate
the natives does not object in principle
to diSpossession Of the negroes, but
members of the budget committee pro-
test strongly against the manner in
which dispoSsession has heretofore
been carried out. The negroes have
declared that the colonial authorities
gave them but a pittance of what their
lots are worth and that the new site
on which they were compelled to set
tie was a plague spot compared to
their old homes.
In Difference to the public demand
for just and humane treatment of the
finally decided to have an exhaustive
report made to him upon the whole
matter. The comm ission which he ap-
pointed will proceed soon to Kamerun
to hear the negroes side Of the Contr D
tersy as well as that of the local au-
thorities. The friends of gentle and
humane methods of the treatment of
the natives are also pleased with the
report that Baron Won ReChenherg,
formerly governor of German East
Africa, has been nominated for the
ReichStag in district where he is
sure to be elected. His administration
in East Africa was marked by zeal
Gus efforts to protect the natives from
all high handed methods on the part
of the German planters. General Won
Lebert also a former governor of
East Africa and a leading exponent of
stalwart policies in the colonies, has
just lost his seat in the ReiChstag,
having failed of re election after hav-
ing been unseated because of irregu-
larities.
Sarcastic comment from the Lib
eraI press has followed the official pub
LEGATION of a new orGsr o. the imperial
chancellor establishing corporal pun
iShments for the native troops of the
colonies The new regulations pro-
vide that offenders sentenced to i'm
prisonment for more than six weeks
shall be fettered. and that corporal
punishment up to twice % lashes may
be inflicted. Any commissioned off,
Ger is empowered to order the so lashes,
and the highest non commissioned off,
GERS may order % Iashes. FYogging is
also permitted in addition to arrest.
In cases of "Close arrest" the prfs-
oner is to be bound for two hours
day, with his back against a wall or
tree lin such manner that he can nei-
Their sit nor lie" At the same time,
this punishment is not to include mea-
Sures "whiCh would make the nunish-
ment appear cruel"
The native soldier has no appeal
from a sentence to be dashed.
The regulations are introduced with
a statement that the punishments pro-
vided are necessary in view of the
fact that the black soldiers do not pos
sess "a developed soldiery honor and
JOY in obedience"
The steadily progressing destruc-
ton Of Americans forests has made il
self unpleasant1y felt by the German
pencil and vehicle industries. Red
cedar. which the German pencil fac
tories set chiefly from Tennessee,
Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Tex
as. is growing so scarce that the ques-
ton of a possible substitute has be-
come very actual AS long ago as 1898
the factories Of Nuremberg found 1T
impossible TO get enough cedar timber
without resorting to the supply con-
tanned in fences made in days when
cedar was freely used for rails. Now
all sources seem to be nearly eXhaus
IL