Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-10-01
ENGLAND CAN USE
GERMAN COLONIES,
SAYS THE PRESS

| Correspondence OF the Associate! press)
London Sept 1s-What will England
do with the German colonies II she
captures them? Does England want
more possessions? Could England adj
minister German African colonies more
successfully than Germany has?
These questions have been propoundcd
and answered in the English press since
the war extended from Europe to Africa
ana the South seas. Some writer's have
stated the German colonies are practically
worthless and take the position that
Grent Britain needs no more territory.
especially such as semi-arid German
southwest Africa
As the missing link in the Capc-to-
cairo railway German East Africa seems
to be regarded more favorably even by
Tn" most rabid of English anti
eXpansonists. Because of It's great
| strategic value Samoa is looked upon as
territory worth having, but the 1tnmeruns
ana the German Congo are in less favor.
In letter to one of the London papers
a. Wyatt Tilby decries the anti
oXpanstonists and liltens them to Amcrl-
cans living on the Atlantic seaboard who
laughed at far-seeinE men who moved
west of the AlloGhcnies and claimed the
great American granary which was
then regarded AS hopeless wilderness
With the prospect that one million
Englishmen will be under arms in the
present contest Mr. Tilby says: After
the war too, We shall have numbers Of
men trained to arms to whom the
civilian If" they are now abandoning no
longer offers attractions Many a Cana
dian and South African city or township
owes It's origin TO such disbanded
lcEionarics; and after the present war
thousands of those who arc now raw re-
cruts being taught their first drill will
take their chance of n scheme Of settle
ment In the anneved colonies IL they are
given an opportunity"
Commenting on reports showing Ger
many has not done we'll with It's African
colonies Mr.. 'Tihy says the failure of Co
many to get sufficient colonists in;o
Africa to mako the development Of its cx-
tensivc territory possible Is not unlike tho
first oxpericncc England had with Nj
geria, He believes England would never
have succeeded rs a colonizor II It had not
prohttod by its early mistakes and he
does not regard Gormanvs failures in
Africa as safe basis for tho condemna-
ton OF the resources of German colonies
III NIII'd'
Gormnny's rapid Industrial Development
and the absorption of the surplus popula-
ton of all sections by the new Industries
checked emigration to such an extent that
Mr. TrilbY holds Germany really had little
need for an Immediate outlet for her poo
pie. Consequently they failed to avail
themselves of opportunities which await
ed them in German colonies. opportunities
which Mr.. Trilby believes Englishmcn
would be glad to grasp.
THE anti-oXpansion argument was u,ci
in Mid-Nictorlan times by tho Manchester
School," said Mr.. Trilhv. "'rhat school r.
carded all dependencies as a burden to hc
shaken off as quickly as possible: indeed.
It was triumphant-as an argument-for
the whole of that generation. Put IN
practice 1t was either ignored or it proved
Impossible to carry out; for the very men
who used the argument saw the early
growth Of New Zealand as a British coll
ony. the spread of settlement towards
Western Canada, the founding Of Natal.
and the Dalhous!e policy in India"