New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
Germans Move to Get Back
New Guinea From Australia

the commonwealth for much of its
borrowing for war purposes.
Most Australians do not understand
that the territory is still German COM
try, governed by German laws, and IS
merely occupied BY an Australian aG-
ministration under the terms of occu-
patton. My Investigations led to the
opinion that the Australian adminis-
tration is highly successful Thanks
largely to the tact and frmness of
General Sir Samuel A. Pethebridge the
Australian administrator, the Ger
mans are behaving themselves and are
giving no trouble. That territory will
unquestonably be valuable asset 10
the commonwealth should il be passed
over to it. All the main tropical prod
ucts are engaging the attention of the
Germans. Their plantations are be-
coming wonderfully fruitful and profit
able, the revenue since the military
occupation having largely increased"
DR.. Haber was once conaected with
the Deutsche Bank on the American
Pacific Slope, and prior to going to
German New Guinea he held a respon-
sible official position in German East
Africa. To have been identified with
the Deutsche Bank and with the Ger
man colonial system in Africa may be
recommendations in German eyes. but
they may not by any means be such in
the eyes Of others. When the Austria
ians took German New Guinea ne tried
by shuffing and delay to stave off sur
render. His hope was that Admiral
Count Won Specs squadron would save
the colony. Colonel Holmes, who was
acting for Australia under limited
powers which had been suggested by
the British government, at length
pinned him down to terms of capituIa-
ton which were singulary liberal and
which present the present anomalous
state of affairs.
Only fear that the commonwealth
would carry out its threat OF retalia-
ton and bar Germany from the Aus
traIian wool. metal and other trades
brought about settlement of the
Ysabel case and a change of policy
by Germany with respect to the Mar
shals and the Carolines.
But the devil was not exercised. for
from 1905 until the war broke out not
ton of copra was carried from the
Bismarcks to Australia for transship-
mert to Germany in an Austria ian bot
tom. Germany saw to it that the
North German Lloyd had monopoly
of all the coDra shipped from that and
ad iacenc groups. Prohi bitivc duties
and heavy subsidy did the trick, not
withstanding the treaty of 1886 pro
vided for most favored nation" treat
ment. II may be argued that "busi-
ness is business" and that German-
had a right to do as she would with
her own, but upon what ground can
Germany's side of the Ysabel case or
her circumvention of the treaty be
justified? Ard why should German
actions in German New Guinea con-
stantly have led TO the belief that there
were cards up the German sleeve"
There is good reason for thinking
that German New Guinea was a piece
in the game of "Weltpolitik" German
New Guinea had been German for
about thirty years. In most Of that
tine it cost the central government
about S250,oo0 yearly. Just before the
war it was costing twice that amount.
But Germany never had. nor has she
nov, more than handful of settlers
IN Germah New Guinea. and yet she
pre- -ty we'll filed Rabaul with officials
II is true that atterly the development
OF the colony was in certain directions
charaeterist tcaliy wonderful and that
its trade was stimulated to the extent
of about $4,000, geo annually. Appar-
emily the motive in her outlay was
"beggar my neghbor," nnmely Austria
liza. and keep the selfsame Australia
upon tenterhooks.