The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-07-10
British MiStreatment Myth of
The German
Wireless
BIG FAMINE PRIOR TO
TONNES OCCUPATION
Work OF Restoration, Includ-
ing Relief, Is Now In
Progress
tBy Associated Press to The Bannerl

tBy Associated Press to The Bannerl
LONDON, June "a (By Mail to New
York; In reply to some remarkable
stories of British mistreatment of ma.
tives in German West Africa which
recently have been circulated by the
German wireless, an official state
ment of the situation in that district
has been given The Associated Press.
1t declares that whatever sufferings
have been endured by the natives of
Ovamboland were due, not to British
mistreatment, but to the neglect of
the German government prior to Brit
ish occupation, and gives some details
of the work of restoration and recon
struction which the British undertook
as soon as they came into possession.
The most recent German wireless
communique on this subject was is.
sued on May 80, and said in part:
Terribly critical conditions have
been created in German West Africa
owing to the occupation of that coun-
try by the English. A missionary
writes to a South African mission pa
per- In the Ovambo country the ter
rors Of war were followed by even
greater terrors of famine. Now and
then the country has been visited be-
fore by similar Affections, but the
laru,on gDVarnp,apt tcOlr cora to t,ra
vent suffering by helpful precautions
so that the Affections never reached
extreme severity. After the English
came, these precautions were neglect
ed and hunger was able to ravage the
unfortunate country without mercy.
Thousands of natives have fallen vic
tins to English neglect and misgov-
ernment."
The facts, as established by reports
from the governor general of South
Africa, illustrate the reckless false
hood of the German official statement,
The British reply is as follows:
'lhe territory of Ovamboland was
included within the borders of the
German protectorate of Southwest
Africa, but was always left severely
alone by the German administration.
The events referred to in the wire
less report occurred in 1915 and were
directly due to the neglect of the Ger
man protectorate to take precautions
against famine.
"Owing to a succession of droughts,
want began to make itself felt in
Ovamboland in 1915, and the famine
eliminated in total failure of the
crops in the beginning of 1915,
Immediately after the surrender
of the German forces at Tsurmeb in
July, 1915, the starving Ovambos who
hitherto had been shut in Ovamboland
by the German troops operating di
rectly between them and the union
forces, commenced to stream south
out Of Oyambolaud in search of sue
cor which had been denied them by
/ the Cermars. Over 1000 Ovambos
/ reached our posts in northern dis
tricts and were Immediately nlaced
/ in hospitals and depots and every
thing possible done to nurse then
back to health and strength.
within two months of our occupa
tion of the protectorate, large fee
of motor lorries had been organized
to convey food to Oyambo!and and tC
succor those who had been unable tC
come south and relief measures were
in full operation Our officers distrib
uted large quantities of foCdstulfs anC
relief parties were organized to assis
struggling OVambos on the road
These measures were carried out il
the face Of enormous difficulties o
! transport and in addition to the heay.
task of feeding our own people in th
northern part of the protectorate uu
der abnormal circumstances.
1T cannot be emphasized to,
strongly that long prior to the British
occupation Of Ovamboland a famln,
had existed there to an intense de
gree nor can 1t be doubted for a mo
ment that the German protectorat
government is wholly to blame for tn,
neglect to assist the Ovambos durinl
the years 1913 and 1914 and the frs
six months OF 1915"