El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-07-26

Darts. France. July 2s.-The atten-
1 ton of the world has been so con-
centrated upon European aspects Of
the treaty Of Versailles that the pro-
visions Of this document affecting At
RIGA have provoked relatively little
comment, yet, in point Of fact the Al
rican detail is not impossibly Of more
importance for the future than all the
territorial changes. so far as Germany
herself is concerned. on the European
map.
When the war came. Germany had
constructed on African soil. an empire
Of more than 1000, 600 square miles
five times the area OF the German en-
pire in Europe. with a population of
nearly 1900. 900, nor did German am
bition pause at what had been accom-
plished. Her two great colonies of
tropical Africa the Kamerun and Ger
man East Africa, were 10 be founda-
ton stones in a grandiose edifice.
which was to span the dark continent.
II there was to be a Mitteleuropa, as
a result of the Victories of German
arms on the European frontiers. there
was Just as surely TO be Mittelafrica.
crossing the African continent from
the Atlantic to the eastern Ocean and
in addition, German Southwest Africs
was to advance northward to join this
central territory while it also ex-
tended southwark TO include the Union
Of South Africa
What Germany Planned.
IN German calculation Belgium was
to surrender her Congo Did not Bern
hardi. long before the war. in his
memorable volume suggest that the
mere possession Of this colony might
- "
France. already forced to yield half
OF her Congo. as compensation" for
her Moroccan acquisitions, was 70
complete the surrender OF this great
colony. These French and Belgian
CesSions would unite the kamerun
with German East Africa. Moreover
the Germans had constructed a rail-
road from the, Indian ocean to Lake
Tanganyika. which was to be the
backbone of this ocean to ocean en-
pire
But this was only one of the Ger
man dreams. When the war came and
Turkey Joined the kaiser. then the
Germans promised the sultan the re-
turn OF his rights in Egypt Britain
was TO be evicted. Turkey was nomi-
nally TO come back but actually Ger
many was to succeed the British IN
this region, too. German supremacy
was to be assured, beyond the chal-
lenge of seapower. by pushing q
branch Of the Bagdad railway south,
ward from Aleppo. A new railroad
borrowing existing lines as far as tht
edge Of the desert, was to extenc
across the Suez canal, joining Cairo
and Alexandria with Damascus ant
AIeppo and thus with Constantinopl'
and Berlin
And, once in Egypt. German.
dreamed of following the example o
/ the Arabs and sweeping westward OF
| the Mediterranean shore until Ish
| reached Trinoli. Tunis. Algeria No
/ rocco, borrowing the mantle OF n
prophet to cover the ambitions OF n
In the German mind Africa, with
relatively small exceptions. was to
be German territory; French.
Belgian, italian and Portuguese
colonies were to be seized and
Germany was TO mcguire an mex
hauxtfbIe reservoir alike of men
for future wars and of raw ma
/ teriaIs for future trade cOnflicts-
! Looking backward now over NOR
I than a quarter Of a century one ca
! see how Germany has treasured an
| fostering the African dream, one ca
also see the successive disappoint
II rrents. When Britain conquered N
Boer republics all Germany Ielt
sense of resentment. revealed IN IN
II kafser's message to Kruger, since on
Of the chosen fields OF Gerlnd1 e
pansion was thus preempted- VINE
France finally began to occupy Me
rocco, after her great bargain VII
Britain, following the Fashoda crisi
German resentment was disclosed
/ three separate attempts to block n
absorption of the last remaining Iiel
L open for German expansion
II And now Germany loses not
II nlonc the dreams for the future,
hut the reality of the moment