The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-02-11
Captured German Colonies Are to
Be Placed Under Interna-
tionaI Control.
WILSON'S Plan IS ADOPTED
British Dominions Protest In Vain
Mandatories Of League Of Ma
tons Will Rule the Territories
Little Progress With
Russian Problem.
BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD.

GermanyS lost colonies occupied
much Of the time and attention Of the
peace delegates last week, and the
result Of their deliberations apparently
was that those colonies, and probably
some Of the territories that are to be
Topped off the Turkish empire, are to
be internationalized by being intrusted
to governments designated as amanda.
t&ries" by the league Of nations. These
manufactures presumably will have a
certain liberty of action in executing
their control Of the colonies, and the
league it is supposed, will enforce, by
safeguards, system very similar In
effect to the British colonial admins
.tratiOn.
This disposition of the former Ger
man possessions, If 1t is finally &C.
cepted by the peace conference, will
prove another triumph for President
Wilson, for while he has yielded some
what In compromise, it is mainly his
idea. The British imperial cabinet ae.
cepted his theory, despite the strenu.
GUS objections Of the representatives
Of the British dominions, and the ad-
hesi0r of France also was announced
Japan was not very we'll pleased, and
neither was Italy.
In another way this decision, If
made, vindicates Mr.. Wilson's ideas,
for 1t is admitted that the creation and
maintenance Of the league of nations
is necessary to carry out the colonial
plan, and the president asserts that,
inasmuch as the league was unani-
mOusly agreed to, it is necessary to
turn the colonies over to the league I'M
der the protectorate of the nations best
fitted to hold them.
The question of the German colonies
developed the most serious diplomatic
contest the conference has engaged in,
and at the time Of writing the end of
the fight was not in sight. Those colo.
MES were Germany's greatest asset,
and some Of the allied nations had
counted on them to make up in part
their immense financial expenditures
In the war. Secret agreements had
been entered into giving Australia and
New Zealand the German possessions
south of the equator and giving Japan
the Caroline and Marshall islands. De-
spite the action Of the British imperial
war cabinet in London, the British del.
egates to the conference were dis
posed to stand by these agreements.
The representatives of Australia and
New Zealand were especially insistens
IN their claims, and were supported by |
he japanese, who expected in return
he support Of Great Britain for posi-.
ions In the Shantung peninsula and
The South African repre-
'entatives, also. were displeased, be.
ieving the plan would encourage the
'ebellious elements there that are still
lgitating for an independent South A.
lea.
Assuming that the internationaliza.
ion plan Is adopted, 1t is likely the
ontrol OF the lands in question would
e about as follows: German West AT.
lea to France; the Kamerun to /
'rench Congo; German Southwest AT.
lea to the South African Union
ierman East Africa mainly to Great
'ritain, small part going to Belgian
ongo; the Carollnes} and Marshall
'land to Japan; New Guinea to Aus.
'alia; Samoa to New Zealand. Japan
Expresses willingness to give Kiao.
hau back to China under conditions
lat have not yet developed. These
re in the main the claims that were
ade by the allied nations; but Presi-
emit Wilson and his American col.
agues made 1t clear they would not
gree to the plan by which absolute
'ssession Of the German colonies