The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-03
PEACE CONGRESS TO
AID COLONIAL WORLD
BY 1Gusiielmo Inerroro.

:. ~ ~. " 81 t..sSs s. { :
peace congress will not be confined tn
defnsnS the Hcw sfyUu1dnrtag Of Trio
European nations: 1t will also have
to effect tho sresettlement Of the
whole colonial world which was de-
pendent on Europe previous to the
war, and hence of Africa
During the half century immediate
~ preceding the world war the whole
Of Africa practically has become
European colony. Only one native
state of considerable extent stu Gu
joys independcnce--~the Empire Of
Abyssina. Africa has consequently
been the contipent which after Eu
rope itself has most felt the upheAvai
brought about by the war and has
suffered and been torn aSunder more
than any other.
1t is therefore natural its eRocts
should be more felt In this immense
dependent OF Europe than In any
other part of the world Tho poace
congress will therefore have to de-
eide not merely the destiny OF Eu-
rope but that Of Africa as we'll.
We know that Germany had I'M
mense possessions In different parts
OF Africa, all of which In the course
of war have fallen into the hands of
her enemies, Great Britain. France
and Belgium. Hence many are Of the
opinion that the African problem is
simplicity itself since II could he
solved by dividing the German col
onies equally among the three victors.
This solution Is however too simple
and by no means devoid of peril We
must first ask ourselves whether II We
wish to bring about lasting peace
peace which would make the recon-
Citation of Europe possible at NO dis
tant date--it would DO wise to ea-
H. 81
doubtedly IL we are merely to take
into account the ruin Germany has
wrought in the world va must allow
that no punishment could b too
severe for her but the gospel tells us
TO seek the conversion OF q sinner
rather than his death and we ought
in this particular case to desire the
conversion OF the sinner all the more
earnestly. since his death and disap-
pearance are beyond the bounds of
possibility. 4
era less troubled than the one which
elapsed between the French rcvolu-
ton and the worid-war. Germany
must learn to take the same view OF
life and must adopt the same political
and moral standpoint as the Western
demoeractes, If. however. she Ia to
make these views her own and live
peaceahly with the Western demo-
cractes she must not be able to accuse
these democracies OF having forced
her TO submit to unjust and oppres
stve peace terms from their point OF
view, or Of having violated the prin-
ciples professed by them. Such q
course would be a fertile source or
undying hate and piti,ess struggles
The peace must be OF such a nature
that Germany herself, once she hiss
adopted the political and moral rrfFs
cipies of the Western democracics viii
he forced to admit its Justice.
The world coalition which has con-
auered the Central Empires need net
therefore hesitate to DEPRIVE German.
of the territories OF which she has
robbed Poland. Franco and Denmark
by means of force or cunning. or TO
compel her to make good as far as is
within the hounds of possibility the
damage she has done Germany will
recognize the Justice OF such cond,-
tons. II will, however. be more Diff
ficult to convince German amour
propre that Justice demands her total
exclusion from Colonial politics.
We must not forget tina, unless
Germany lis broken up by internal
revolution she will be tho most popr-
lous nation in Europe now that tho
Russian Empire has fallen, or that tho
favorable geographical situation and
the psychological qualities which
brought her to the front during the
nineteenth century have not bcen
annihilated by the European war. In
short while Germany has fortunately
ceased TO be tho leading European
nation she win continue to be one of
tho great powers OF Europe.
Now rightly or wrongly the En-
ropean nations look upon colonies a
the patent OF nobility or a people. 70
he without colonial possessions a.
signs a member Of the European
family to a lower rank. When Car
many takes her place as a republi-
among the western democracicS re-
solved to livepeaceahiyw with her neigh
bors, will she he willing thus to take
the lower room when France and
Great Britain posses immense COL
onies?
1t appears to me that any policy
which would take the future init
consideration must not lose sight Of
this eventuality. l do not mean 70
imply that things In Africa viii
have to return To statu quo OF 1914.
We must all try to bring about q set-
Element which cannot he accurpd uf
aiming at the satisfaction OF .rane
revenge or territorial asnbtta0ns
aroused by a successful war; one
which win make Africa fertile ana
peaceful center Of the civfliHng WUrk
Of the European nation& We Snusf
therefore find some crite1iom 6Y
which to make such q settlement.
Such a criterion shah attempt to -.
fine in my next article