Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-16
soLFs POINT or VIEW.

Solf. the colonial expert Of Germany,
explains at great length to the German
people that the colonial policy OF the
ernr,ire has aiwavs been outlined on broad
and generous principles. Other colonial
powers have been sadly lacking IN broad
mindedncss and liberality, but Germany
has dealt with them patiently, desiring
only what is her own. Thus the colonial
situation IS summed up by the German
mind for the enlightenment OF the IN
prejudiced. According to Mr.. Soil, the
German colonies have been so developed
that Germany has gained less trade adj
vantage from them than any other COM
mercial nation But, altnusm beng the
nam characteristic OF the government,
this state of affairs has generously been
allowed to endure.
Mr.. Soils statements are not cor
rohorated by writers and statesmen Of
other nations. England denounces Ger
man rule in Africa in the name OF the
natives themselves Hundreds Of letters
have been received by England from the
German subjects in Africa begging Great
Britain to free them from Germany.
Facts which Mr.. Solf carcless!y glldes
over with a vague phrase show that
thousands of natives have died of the
effects of overdoses Of German culture.
The German mind could understand the
need for study of climate, drainage, and
resources of its foreign possessions. but
the necessity of studying the psychology
of its primitive subjects was ignored. 10
the German. the natives were unfortunate
people who had missed being born in
Germany. and who should therefore make
up for crude past by Immediately for
getting their barbaTIc customs and be-
coming good Germans
NATIVES NOT 50 EAGER
But the natives did not fall in enthusi-
asticallv with plans for their we'll being
which they did not at all understand
Resentment and rebellion against un-
meaning laws became common, specially
in the Southwest African colonies Ger
man colonial troops We're soon fully occ'l-
pied with ambitious campaign 10 sub
due all natives who resisted the blessings
of German civilization African methods
of warfare placed the colonial troops at a
tremendous Disadvantage. Neyerthe-
less, whole tribes of natives were prac-
ticallv wiped out by order Of German
officials. who overlooked the fact that the
scanty population Of those particular
African colonies was more valuable than
the oil or minerals OF the land. By de-
plotting her colonies, Germany obtained
! the desired attitude Of AFFECTION on the
part OF most Of the surviving subjects,
| hut the DEVELOPMENT oi resources, which
depended almost entirely on native labor,
| was heavily retarded by the loss O work
ers who died or escaped during the cam
Thirty years Of effort in developing
her foreign possesslons have cost Ger
many no less than $500, 600, 900, much OF
winch sum was invested for returns in
wears to come. The loss Of these lands,
which she ruled so ruthlcssly. will be one
OF the greatest blows of the war to the
German Government Instead Of doubling
the colonial territory and gaining new
| lands for the 4pcople as she promised
Germany has los. what she held and with
it the cherished ambition OF becoming the
great colonial power Of the world.