New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-22
GERMAN DOCTOR
DEFENDS SLAVERY
Reichstag Wants Colonial
Labor Regime AbOl-
ished by 1920.

Berlin, March IA brief defending
slavery for the colonies, declaring that
its immediate abolition would lead 10
native risings, has just been handed in by
the Governor of German East Africa, Dr..
Schnee. In response 10 resolution
passed by the Reichstag last year, calling
for the termination of household slavery
by January ], 1920. DR.. Schnee has re
ported that there are about $4,000 slaves
in the colony at present, many Of them
captives I'm wars as late as 1908 and 1906,
while others are being imported even to-
day from Portuguese East Africa and
British Cape Colony. The number, how
ever, is steadily growing less.
4 law passed a few years ago liberates
all children of household slaves born af-
ter 1905. Deaths are further reducing the
number Of slaves. Many are able to buy
their liberty for sums ranging from s.
to sl5, and. in addition. many owners are
voluntarily giving their slaves freedom.
The Governor predicts that slavery will
practically have ceased to exist without
further restrictive measures by 1890. and
pleads against setting any fixed date for
general emancipation. which, he de-
clares, would ruin many plantation own
ers. provoke rebellion among the native
farmers and cost the government al least
s.. 10000 to indemnify owners for the loss
Of their property.
The Governor uses arguments that have
familiar ring to readers Of United States
history Of sixty years ago. He says that
the negro by no means feels the lack Of
personal liberty as a hardship. that the
slavery is of a decidedly patriarchal
character, that the labor exacted IS light,
that they are given certain days each
week to cultivate their own little gardens.
BY a general emancipation the aged
slaves, who are now fed and sheltered by
their owners when no longer able to
work. would be thrown destitute upon
the world.
In discussion Of the report in the Bud
get Committee of the Reichstag the So
cialists and Clericals sharply criticised
the attitude Of the government behind
which, they averred. was the self-in-
terest Of the plantation owners seeking
a cheap supply of labor. Advertisements
from colonial newspapers Offering 10 sell
or buy slaves were read by the Social
lists, who declared that the government
was favoring and even promoting the
slave trade and Clerical leader alleged
that German planters organize regular
man hunts to get labor for their planta-
tons.
Dr. Solf. Secretary Of state for the Colo
MES, admitted that the Law has been m
terpreted to justify compulsory recruit
ing Of native labor for plantations, and
that grave infringements of the law nad
been committed by native soldiers with
the knowledge and consent of their white
officers.
The native population of Africa is at
best steadily shrinking under contact with
tho white man. 1t has been thought that
under the influence Of white civilization.
the cessation of the continual tribal wars
and the Introduction of scientific medical
methods the negro population in Africa
would grow rapidly.
Diederich Westermann, professor at the
Oriental Seminary Of the Berlin Univcr-
sity, declares on the contrary that the de-
population is steady and rapid. He cites
tho report Of Catholic missionary.
Father van der Burgt, who after twenty
two years work in German East Africa
found that the native population In that
time had decreased a third II not a half.
Infant death rates OF from ~ TO 80 per
cent and surprisingly low birth rate
are factors which missionaries observed
in Togo, the Cameroons and other Ger
NAN colonies in Africa. as well az I'm
German East Africa