Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-01-29
PEACE COUNCIL
 ID DISTRIBUTE GERMAN COLONIES
Presents Question of First
 Magnitude. MANY NATIONS TO
 BE CONSIDERED
May Turn Colonies Over to League of
 Nations.

Paris, JaH 2S-Germanv's colo nies occupied the entire attention of two extended executive sessions Of the Supreme Council of the great powers today, and the disposition of this small empire, scattered over the African mainland. in 9sia and throughout the Pacific, is presenting territorial question Gf the first magnitude.
 The hearings given today covered the entire range of these German colonies, as the delegates of Aus lralia, New Zealand and Japan pre- sented their respective interests in he Pacific groups of islands. Japan and China their interest rl Kiao Chau and the Gcrmon concessions at many treaty ports, and the French minister Of colonies, N. Simon. took tip the African colonies, embracing Tog0land, the Kameruns and the German East and Southwest Africa To Hear From Belgium.
 General Jan Christian Shuts, tha South African leader. and General Louis Both, the South African pre- mier, already have been heord on the question of German East Africa. and now it only remains to get the viewpoint of the Belgians, who are l about to present their ideas Of their interests in the colonies adjacent to the Belgian Congo. 1t appears to be the generally accepted view ! among thoSc having interests in tho matter that Germany's colonies should not be returned to her.
 This in turn has developed another crucial question, Iamely, whether German sovereignty over these colo nies should pass to the powers who may receive them or whether they should be entrusted to a league of | nations which would exercise inter- national control while giving man. date to such powers as administer l the partteular colonies.
 The larger question, affecting ths general administration of the colo nies, was considered today. as well as the particular interests involved German East Africa. German East Africa is the most important territorial possession in- volve6. as it has upward of 1000 0O0 inhabitants. Besides being adjacent to the British South African common- wealth, it is necessary link con- meeting the British In the south ana north, completing the British terri torial chain aretween Cairo and Cape Colony. German Southwest Africa is regarded as less important though the harNOr in Walfish Bay has some advantages
 Belgian interests are believed to be related to Southwest Africa, while the French interests are toward the Kameruns and Togoland which ad- join French Dahomey and the French Congo.
 China's interest is in getting back Kiao Chow after it passed from Ger many to Japan, and also in the ter- imitation of German concessions at Tien-Tsin, Shanghai and other points. Japan's interests are noth in Kiao- Chow and the Pacific Islands. The islands are being considered in two main groups, first New Guinea, Bis- marck and the Samoa group in which Australia ondl New Zealand are pre- senting their Interests; and second, the Marshall, Caroline and Marianne groups, lying east of the Philip pines and south of Japan.
 First Group Fertile.
 The first group is fertile and pro- ductive; the second consists of Coral islets, chiefly valuable as strategic bases. It is this range of colonies, once constituting Germany's hopes of world extension. that are now un- der consideration in the sessions of the Supreme Council of the Great Powers.