Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-16
Hun Colonies
BY Frederic ]. Haskin

When Germany was at the height Of
her success in the war. and victory seemed
to her certainty, a German writer oi IN
huence stated that the Empire needed
more colonies in Africa, and that they
must be the prize Of victory. Victory has
shifted to the side Of tho Allies, and the
German need for colonies is likely 10 CON
tinue an unsuppled want. But the Ger
man writer's statement is being echoed
insistcntly in the Allied nations. Many
Britons and Frenchmcn now also regard
the German colonies as the prize OF
victory.
The fate of these colonies will be one
Of the big problems of war settlement.
Practically all Of the German foreign
possessions, which are in aggregate nearly
five times the szc Of Germany, are now
held by Great Britain, France, belgium
and Japan The retention Of this territory
by the Allied powers is expected to he one
Of the points upon which much stress wlii
be laid in peace conferences to come.
Assuming that the colonies now held
are not to be returned, the question afises
ma 10 how they are tn be dispoSed on
There is the scarcely practical idea of
allowing African and Samoan natives 70
chooee preferred form of government,
tective nation Then it has been urged
by sorno TINT the colonies be hrld and
administered hy league of nations a
third proposal is 10 divide the conquero'i
territory between France, England ana
Belgium, leaving kiao-chau, the German
settlement IN China. 10 Japan It ls now
being suggested in Europe that the nlted
States aleo assunc control of part OF The
African land
CONE FOR Goop.
Total loss Of her colonies VIII be tho
climax of Germany's cvcntful ami dis-
appointing colonial history While Ger
many was evolving from group of petty
states into an Empire, the more pro
grcssve European nations were securing
the beat of etill unappropratcd territory
So that when Germany finally plunged m
10 African colonial enterprises IN lSSi
she could get only tropical lands, most oi
which were unfit for settlement by white
mon Az the avowed German pnrpose IN
acquiring colonies was 70 Obtain Q place
in The sun for her rapidly increasing sur
plus population, the lands claimed ny
Germany Togoland, German Fast Mn
"a German Southwest Africa and the
CAMERON were useful mainly as a
| source of income and foothold bY which
10 grasp other more desirable land.
The Pan-Gcrman mind pictured Ger
man Central Africa, stretching from consf
IN coast. not to mention n German India
| and German South Africa. The African
colonies we're 10 be enlarged by conquest
| through the present war. while the other
acquisitions we're To he placed on the map
after the war bad made the German fm-
pire the power Of Europe These arr
castle colonies were N be built up intn
| German commonwealth by cmigranfs
who would be expected 70 carry the home
| land traditions with them
Colonial plans IN the United states
were never successfni because - many
| of tho German immigrants came to TINS
country to escape the rignrs Of the high
eat plane of life" But IN South America
| where races do not fuse 80 readily AZ IN
| the United States, the German immigrant
| became n part Of German settlement
| and his Gcrrnanness was preserved intact
/ Solidarity of German interests IN south
| America, lulcd Germany 70 the calm Dc
| lief in South American admiration Of al
| things German This confidence was
shaken by the attitude Of the south Amerl-
| can countries toward the war, and Ger
many fastened to lay stress upon the de
| fence and extension Of her African pos
sessions. But too late to achieve any sue
cess