New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-09
Germany'S Shattered Dream o
Colonial Empire.

skaters Germany's dream Of a colonial empire
The acquisition Of foothold in China was one
Of the great strokes of post-Bismarckian dpo-
macy Ii gave the Kaiser "a place in the SUM- in
Eastern ASIA. and with it the right TO discuss as
a principal all questions relating 10 the main
tenance or extension Of European influence in
that Quarter Of the world. Germany had 10 be
reckoned with. as well as Crest Britain Russia
and France, as factor in the Far Eastern equa-
ton. H. itself Kiao.Chsu was not a dependency
Of enormous value, but from the point Of view
Of those who were developing Germany's colonial
policy the Chinese concession was Of more worth
politically and strategicslly than any other Ger
man colony.
Now the colonial structure erected at such
great cost and pains Is falling TO pieces. Kiao-
Chau has suffered the same fate as Samoa, the
German island groups TO the east Of the Phil
ippines, German New Guinea and Togoland All
The Ksisers colonies were isolated and left TO
their own resources Those in Africa which re-
main uncaptured may hold out for a time, but
thew must fall as soon rs the Allies think II
worth while to make sufficient effort TO capture
them. No result of the European war now seems
more certain than the disappearance Of Ger
Inany's scattered dependencies
II would be strange irony Of fate for Ger
many if a war intended to secure her the place
in the sun" 10 which Won Bulow said she was
entitled should end in q stricter localizstion in
Europe Of German political interests. When the
Kaiser announced that "Germauy's future is on
The sea" he spoke the conviction Of the newer
school Of German statesmen Bismarck had
laughed at the notion Of colonial expansion and
had gladly encouraged France to embark on
further colonial enterprises in Africa and South
ern China. His theory was that such pro-
eramme would cost France money and keep her
energies occupied elsewhere than in Europe He
looked on colonies hostages given TO fortune
and held that Germany's future lay exclusively
in the domination of Central Europe.
The new school put Bismarck and his notions
on the shelf 1t set out 10 create foreign COM
merce, acquire colonies and construct big navy
II aimed at world power and believed that world
power was to Ice gained by rivalling Great
Britain, France and Russia, which had psrti-
toned among themselves 50 much of the territory
of Asia and Africa. Little Belgium's acquisition
OF the Congo was sore point with the German
colonial school, which also viewed with envy the
profitable colonial holdings Of small and declin-
ING states like Holland and Portugal.
The necessity Of soing in for colonial empire
|. was strongly insisted upon by General Won Bern
hard in his book, Germany and the Next War
Treitschic was Won Beruhardi'5 mentor and
Treitschke had said: "That colonization which re-
tans uniform nationality has become factor
Of immense Importance for the future Of the
world. 1t will determine the degree in which each
nation shares in the government Of the world by
the white race. II is quite imaginable that q
country which owns colonies viii 10 longer
count among the European great powers, how
ever powerful it may otherwise be-
Won Bernhard accepted this as political reyela-
ton. He Enthusiastically translated theory into
terms Of action, saying: 1--WE are already suffer
ing severely from the want Of colonies to meet
our requirements. We find throughout
the countries Of the world German merchants,
engineers and men Of every profession employed
actively in the service Of foreign masters because
German colonies. where they might be proiitably
encouraged, do not exist. In the future however,
the Importance of Germany will depend on two
points: First. How many millions Of men in the
world speak German? and, secondly, How many
Of them are politically members Of the German
Empire
NATURALLY, Won Bernhard was in favor OF max
ing "a place in the sun for Germany and her
allies by conquering France and appropriating
the French colonies. He wanted 10 give Tunis
10 Italy and to keep Algeria, Morocco and the
Sudan for Germany. His view was apparently
accepted by the German government When Sir
Edward Grey asked, just before the outbreak Of
the war. what pledges Germany was willing to
give 10 respect the territorial integrity Of France