The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-09-12
hun COLONIES
were SMASHED.
BY IRON HAND
German Rule in Africa Reign
of Horror Report Shows,

LONDON, Sept. IA report CON
tanning evidences Of the brutal meth
DDS employed by Germany in the ad-
ministration OF her colonies in Africa
made public today by Edmond II l..
Gorges, acting secretary OF the in
terror, Union of South Africa, con
StltuteS the British governments reply
\ TO DR. w s. Solf. the German secre-
tary OF state for the colonies that
Germany would demand the return OF
her colonies at the peace conference.
The report is one Of the most Sensa-
tional ever issued in connection with
the German colonial methods and is
considered an indictment of German
fitness to rule the black native OF
Africa. The evidence on which the
report is based was taken from off
cial German documents at Windhoek,
from sworn statements by native
chiefs and by Europeans familiar
with the country and from the writ
ingS of Governor Leutwcin, who held
office from 1894 TO 1905; DR.. Paul
Rohrback, Dr. Karl Dove and others
Altogether the report refutes in de-
tail DR.. Soils claim that "GermanYs
pre-war humane treatment Of the ma
tive races won for her the moral right
to be a great colonial power"
In view Of this claim the following
statement BY Acting Secretary Gorges
IS interesting
THE native position here is unani-
mously against any idea OF their ever
being handed back TO the tender
mercies Of Germany ANY suggestion
Of the possibility OF an act Of this kind
on the part Of Great Britain, produces
The utmost CONSERVATION"
Record of Bad Faith.
The report shows that the first
twenty-five years Of German rule IN
southwest Africa was an unbroken
record OF official bad faith, private
oppression, cruelty barbarities and
robberies, eliminating in the Herero
and Hoitentot rebellions. During the
first seventeen years there was no law
for the natives Such protection as
,he law eventually provides indicated
considerations of humanity but the
order to exploit the natives as labor
erS remained.
When the Germans first arrived
says the report, they entered into
agreements with the native chiefs but
there became scraps OF paper and the
natives were iraudulcnl'y deprived OF
their best land Traders and settlers
robbed them Of their cattle, which wa,
their only wealth, and the law subSe
Quently prevented the natives from
possessing large herds Of stock The
natives were thu, driven 70 work a,
ndiculou,ly inadequate wages and
often never were paid They were
treated IKE slave, and their women
folk were habi,ually maltreaicd hy the
Germans who took them into forced
concubnagc
Goaded Into Rebellion
These were some Of the things which
Poadcd the natives into rebellion
which wa, suppressed by ruthle,,
cruelty resulting practically in the eN-
termination OF the three tribes in
volyed The Hercros were reduced
from 5000 to lSlO0 the Hottento,'
from 1000 TO $500 and the Berg
Damaras from 10000 to l2SOO Thus
20 percent OF the Herero people dis
appeared and more than half OF the
Hot,cnto,s and Bcrg DamaraS shared
. the same fate. How it was done was
o. supcrcede the lcuicnt governor
leu,wcin by the notorious Governor
or Tro,ha. fresh from Germany 10
Fast Africa where he suppressed the
Arab rebellion nv a wholesale mas'a-
,re. Governor Trotha issued an 'cN.
termination order the terms Of which
provided tina, no Herero man. woman
child or habe was 90 receive mercy OF
quarter
XIII All, was Order,
xiii every one OF them; take no
prisoners" he said in these orders.
Evidence that the order was only too
faithfully carried out IS recorded IN a
story OF Governor Tro'ha' former
,room who described how he once was
ordered to kill a young Herero WON.
an. He refused in disgust, whereupon
German soldier showed him how to
do Il and then he held the dripping
bayonet in his face An officer and
German soldiers were standing around
but none interiered in behalf OF the
woman
Another reliable witne" who was
with Governor Trotha for two years
testified that he knew OF no instance
Of prisoners being spared Even alter
the rebellion, surviving natives Jared
but little better
-Waa