The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-29
GERMAN COLONIES OCCUPY ATTENTION
 OF TWO EXTENDED
 PEACE SESSIONS
Disposition of Territory Pre- senting Question of First Magnitude - Australia, New Zealand, Japan
 Present Interests
By Associated Press

By Associated Press
 Paris, January 28.-Ger- many's colonies occupied the entire attention of two extend ed executive sessions of the su- preme council of the great powers today, and the disposi- tion of this small empire, scat tered over the African main land, in Asia and throughout the Pacific, is presenting a ter ritorial question of the first magnitude.
 The hearings given today covered
 the entire range of these German
 colonies, as the delegates of Aus-
 tralin, New Zealand nnd Japan pre-
 scented the respective interests in
 the Pacific groups of islands, Japan
 and China their interest in Kiau-
 chnu and the German concessions
 at many treaty ports, and the
 French minister of colonies. M.
 simon, took up the African colonies,
 embracing Togoland. the Kamer-
 run. and Gesman East and South
 west Africa.
 Gen. Jan Christian Shuts, the South African leader and Gen. Louis Botha, the South African premier, already have been heard on the question of German East Africa, and now it only remains to obtain the viewpoint of the Belgians, who are about to present their ideas of their interests on the colonies adjacent to the Belgian Congo. It appears to be the generally accepted view among those having interests in the matter that Germany's colonies should not be returned to her.
 ANOTHER QUESTION DEVELOPS
 This in turn has developed another crucial question, namely, whether Ger man sovereignty over these colonies should pass to the powers who may receive them or whether they should be entrusted to league of nations, which would exercise international control while giving mandate to such powers as administer the particular colonies.
 This larger question, affecting the general administration of the colonies, was considered by the council today, .as well as the particular interests in volved and the discussion will be con- tinued tomorrow.
 German East Africa is the most im- portant possession involved, as it has upward of 100000 inhabitants. Be- sides being adjacent to the British South African commonwealth it is a necessary link connecting the British in, the south and the north, thus com pleting the British territorial chain be- tween Cairo and Cape Colony.
 German southwest Africa is regarded as less important. though the harbor in Walfish bay has some advantages.
 Belgian interests are believed to be related to Southwest Africa, while the French interests are toward the Ka- meruns and Togoland, which adjoin French Dahomey and the French Congo
 CHINA WANTS KIAUCHAU Chinas interest in the colonies is in getting back Kiauchau after it passes X from Germany to Japan, and also in lthe termination of German concessions at Tien-Tsin, Shanghai and other points !, The islands are being considered in 7 two main groups. first New Guinea, Bis marck and the Samoa group, in which Australia and New Zealand are pre- 'senting their interests, and, second the Marshall Caroline and Marienne ! groups, lying east of the Philippine Is- lands and south of Japan
 The first group of islands is fertile Wand productive; the second consists 3ot coral islets, chiefly valuable las strategic bases. It is this whole range many's hopes of world extension, that { are now under consideration in the ses- sions of the supreme council of the great powers.