The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-09-13

Africa made public today by Ed
mond n, h. Gorges, acting 'ecre-
tary Of the interior, Union OF South
Africa, constitutes the British gov
ernment's 5 reply to DR.. W. S. Solf,
the German secretary OF state for the
colonies. that Germany would de-
mand the return OF her colonies at
the peace conference.
The report is one OF the most SEN
sational ever issued in connection
with German colonial methods, and
IS considered an indictment OF Ger
man fitness TO rule the black native
OF Africa.
The evidence on which the renort
is based was taken from official Ger
man documents at Winhoek from
sworn statements by native chiefs,
and by Europeans familiar with the
country. and from the writings Of
Governor Leutwein, who held Of
fee from 1894 10 1905; DR.. Paul
Rohrback, DR.. Karl Dove, and 9TH
srs.
Altogether, the report refutes in
detail DR.. Soils recent claim that
"Germany's pre-war humane treat
menr OF the native races won for
her the moral right to be great
colonial power. In view OF this claim
the statement by acting Secretary
Gorges is interesting:
Natives Hate the Huns.
"The native>opinion here is unan-
tmously against any idea OF their
EVER being handed back to the ten
der mercies OF Germany. Any Sug'
gestion OF the possibility of an act
Of this kind on the part OF Great
Britain produces the utmost con-
sternation.'
The report shows that the first Is
wears of German rule in south Al
rica was an unbroken record OF
bad faith, private oppression cruel
", barbarities, and robberies, cul-
minating in the Herero and Hotten-
rot rebellions. During the first II
years there was no law for the ma
tives. Such as the law eventually
provided indicated considerations OF
humanity, but the order to exploit
natives as laborers remained.
When the Germans first arrived,
the report continues, they entered
into agreements with the native
chiefs, but these became scraps OF
paper. and the natives were fraud
nlently deprived OF their best land.
Traders and settlers robbed them OF
nheir cattle, which was their only
wealth, and the law subsequently
prevented the natives from possess
ing large herds of stock The natives
were thus driven to work at ridic-
7llously inadequate wages and often
never were paid.
Women Are Maltreated.
They were treated like slaves, and
their women were habitually NAL
treated BY the Germans, who took
Them into forced concubinage. These
were some of the things which goad-
I'd the natives into rebellion which |
rvas suppressed by ruthless cruelty, !
Tesulting practically in the extermin-
.stion of the three tribes involved.
The Herreros were reduced from
10000 to lS,l00, the Hottentots from
1000 Otto $500, and the Berg Dam,
aras from 10000 to 1890. Thus 81
per cent of the Herero people dis
appeared, and more than hall or the
.Hottentots and Berg-Damaras par
ricipated in the same fate. How 1t
was done was to supersede the
lenient Governor Leutwein by the
notorious Governor Trotha, fresh |
from Germany to East Africa. where
he srrppressedthe Arab rebellion by
= wholesale massacre. Governor |
rTrotha issued an determination or
der, the terms OF which provided
ahat no Herero man. woman, child
pr babe was TO receive mercy or
quarter.
Orders Natives Killed.
Kill every one OF them; take no
prisoners" he said in these orders.
ETidence that the order was only
too faithfully carried out is recorded
in a story of Governor Irothas
former groom who described how
he once was ordered to Kill young
Hersro woman. He refused in dis
gust, whereupon j German soldier
showed him how TO do it, and then
held the dripping bayonet to his
lace, An officer and German sol
.diers were standing by, but none
interfered in behalf OF the woman.
Another reliable witness who was
with Governor Rotha for two years
testified that he knew OF no instance
Of prisoners being spared. Even
after the rebellion surviving natives
Jared but little better.
One OF the most significant docu-
nents in the report is 4 secret cir
cular bv Governor Heit in 1872, ard
addressed to magistrates in Which he
refers TO the desperate feeling be-
coming prevalent among the ma
tives. The reason, he states,
which unanimously is given tor
this fact is that the brutal eXcesses
OF European against natives is op-
enlv increasing. 1t is regrettable
that even police Officers become
guilty OF such offenses in i Jew
cases. and that such offenses are
not punished by the courts OF law
in way that they ought 10 be ac-
corded 70 a sense OF Justice to the