Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-25
WOULD BUILD REPUBLIC
j FOR NATIONS OF AFRICA
|brlton Advocates Making State I'm
der World Control OF For-
MGR Hun Colonies.
STATES OLD TREATIES ILLEGAL
declares Ono German Forged Sigma
lures of Chlcftuins to Obtain
Rights - Peace Conference Must
's"Dccidc Important Problem.
INTERNATIONAL CONTROL.
(Second Articlc.)

Note: Mr.. Hawkins is eminent Brit
Ah lawyer and probably the greatest
lhurity In the world on the problems OF
ne a a. native races. lie Is a brother.
,n inlet. and WAS retained by the natives
fsTsh hsi ana f 5e'f I'm y Gs
he natives were successful. lie devoted
wo whole ycars to the preparation Of this
ease.
LONDON. Feb. 24.-The British Privy
council have recently had cause to con-
fider an instrument similar to those on
(Which Belgium relies as title deeds OF
tho kongo. l refer TO the Rhodesian
lard reference.
Their lodrships dismissed the char
lercd company's claim to own the land
pr s. Rhodcsian. based on grant by
the Matabclc King in the following
THE consequences OF tn! construc-
ticn which the company put on the
aoc umeht would indeed DC extreme. 1t
vas or would become 1T pleasure
Pwner Of the entire kingdom---for moth
ing WAS reserved in favor of the in
iabitants.-from the K-aa.s OF the
no scenc Of the assembly of his in
dunas and his pitso-that thcncefor-
3ward the entire tribe were sojourncrs
pm sufferancc dependent on the good
naturc OF that stranger from Johannes
purS even for. gardens IN which grow
heir mealies and pastures in which
:cssion might have some value as help
ng to explain how and why the crown
PANE to confer the administration upon
he company. but as a title deed 10
Tho unalicnatcd land IL was valuniess."
Is there any reason to suppose Pres:-
dent Wilson will he advised to take
different view of tho title deeds of
central Africa.
wOnLD MUST CONSIDER
CLAIMS OF NATIVES
Even during 1915 America considered
The question Of Offering mediation in
regard to Central Africa, under the
neutralitY of the Belgian act. and was
oniy deferred from so doing because OF
jcorGo WashinEton's doctrine OF non
fntrcference with European auarreis.
But now President Wilson has in
ScTted In his fourteen points the fol-
Having item:
IAN absolutely impartial adjustment
OF colonial claims. the interests of the
people concerned having equal weight
with the claims OF the government
whose ,i;lc IL to bc determined"
1t viii surely DC Impossible. to I'll in
he outline without a careful consid-
ation OF native claims.
It has been suggested that the Berlin
bad Brussels acts should now DC
Scrapped as useless.
Can any one imagine such pro-
posai being made at the peace confer
florence:
At any rate the British government
has declared against such course.
blouse OF Commons for the Foreign
'5f!i i on November :; 1918. said
(lave the same validity today az before
he war" and in reply TO Sir John
Fees supplementary question. Does
lie. Naturalization of Central Africa has
any validity al tho present moment?"
Lord Hohcrt said: "Ccrtainly. the Ber-
ks,.l, has been abroFatcd. To abrogatc
world treaty would require the con-
sent Of all s!gnatories, and neither
our ally. Kussia, nor our enemies
would. In their present frame Of mind,
pc at all likely to view such course
Fpi,h favor, and | canno; sec how the
proposal would square with the four
teen points"
hint AT FRAUD IN
~, SECURING SIGNATURES
lin any case, the peace conference is
Enlarged with the duty Of deciding what
Shall be the future Of German East
frec-trade zone. as defined By the Bcr-
hin act. so that ii is pertinent To CON
slider what Germany really had ac-
$quired before Europe slices up her
prey.
!, in 1854 DIR. Karl Peters made a tour
In East Africa and concluded what he
was pleased to call treaties with ma
tiyes, the terms OF which. SO far as |
know, have not been published.
According TO Peters. these treaties
cedcd TO him for the German Colonial
tlOu oOClelv inc territories OF the
chiefs. together with sovereign rights
DR.. Keanc tells US that Peters visited
Hast" Africa in the disguise of needy
traveler. and was regarded as an ex
cursionist. Cecil Rhodes private sec
retary tells us he was collecting ma
i've autographs. and both hin; at fraud
as a means to secure the signatures.
The published description OF the
Treaties indicate that they were mere
agreements by unofficial natives to re-
Gard Peters As their friend. and pur-
8Dortcd 20 promise support to the Ger
t1!an society. Two OF the so-called
'Sultans." each claiming much terri
tory. signed these treaties on the same
lay. so that their royal palaces must
flave been somewhat uncomfortably
nenr: another was signed by woman
and many others gathered by n Ger
nan named Juhlke. secured in 1885,
have been published. and will certainly
not bear Investigation by an impartial
Tribunal with a knowledge of native
african law and customs.
One purported to be deed of sale
xSss2lg5Fis 0s1Rana75Ba-