The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-28
MANDATES BURDEl
MORE THAN ASSET


And while the mandatory system insists
that these territories must be admins
tered without thought of benefit to the
administrator. it more than hints that
It is UP to the administrator to invest
his own funds in the good work
Former German African Colonies.
German East Africa. comprising 1884,
600 square miles and now administered
by the British Colonial Office under
the name ''Zanganyika Territory" is
the largest of the late German colonies
in Africa Its total trade at the present
time is less than 100000 per annum.
Although there are two main railways
and the roads are generally good
vast expenditure will be necessary be-
fore the Protectorate becomes a paying
concern. The Germans cultivated
very small portion of land In the nc"fh
and with the exception of this tract
and districts around the borders OF the
Tanganyika and Victoria lakes the
country is forest jungle and swamp.
It will require q vast outpourlng OF
capital from England before even the
potentialities OF the country are known.
Minerals are apparently not only I'M
developed but unimportant. The Ger
man report that coal was to be found
has been proven untrue and there is no
oil. When developed the future of the
Protectorate will be almost wholly
agricultural.
German Southwest Africa, manda ted
10 the Union OF South Africa. COM
prises 322, 900 square miles OF unknown
possibilities. Before the war the reve-
nue. was collected mostly in diamonds T:
there IS a large pastoral industry but
agriculture is on a very poor scale.
Undoubtedly there are big mineral
prospects here. but their development
again requires capital.
Although the British Empire is man
datory FOR 751, 500 square miles in Africa,
I with q. population of 10,ssS.000, the
amount OF trade in that area to-day
would be an infinitesimal ortlon OF
| South African war debt alone.
~ Mesopotnmia.
/ IT requires but cursory glance at
! the London papers almost any day in
! the week to make 1t evident that Meso-
! potamia is anyth 'ng but sweet in the
mouth of the British Lion. Only this
week it was revealed amid salvos OF
applause that Britain could cut down
the 10000 troops she has been main
tanning in Mesopotamia for months.
/
has been variously estimated at from
! fS0.o00.00o to E100. 100000.
There seems to be a very great d.
vergence of opinion as to the possibili-
! ties OF Mesopotamia as a Uranary. Ex-
perts generally incline to the opinion
that hundreds OF years Of neglect have
caused the soil to become so impregnated
with saline deposits that the possibili-
| ties OF reclaiming its fertility by even
tbA elaborate SveteT11 of irrigation
are extremely problematical.
Oil there is undoubtedly a tremendous
prospect. During the unsettled state of
the country, however. it will take years
before the oil can be got out on eco
nomic lines. Although large claims
have already been staked and though
British interests are predominant, Amer
leans, Dutch and French have their
share and are preparing to fight Britain
/. for the profit, though sharing little II at
all in the huge overhead capital ex-
penditure required TO put the country In
order.
At the Persian Gulf.
! The most fertile province, the Shaft
! ul-Arab, in the vilayet of Basra, at the
head OF the Persian Gulf, Is OF particu-
! lar Importance to Great Britain at the
present time for strategical reasons.
! But there is a growing opinion here that
no imperial strategy justifies Mesopo-
tamia 9 present cost to the British tax
payer.
Before the war British trade with the
Turkish Empire was less than thirteen
million pounds. Mesopotamia represents
| but a fifth OF the total area and a tenth
| OF the population OF the Turkish Empire.
! The total trade to-day is less by a wide
! margin than the cost OF the army OF &C.
cupstion. The possibilities are. OF course.
great Minerals Of all sorts and kinds
! practically unworked are TO be found in
| both the vilayets OF Mosul and Bagdad
Virgin timber covers many million acres
| OF ground. while cotton and fruits are
| plentiful. Their development remains as
| much a problem as the problem OF the
| whole mandatory scheme.
| British policy in Mesopotamia at tht
| present time is based on two coordinates
the prevalence of order and the en-.
couragement OF settled population e
| cultivate the land. Toward one end Il
Is still necessary to maintain a very con.
siderable British force in the country
Oil cannot be got out without the guar
antee OF safe communications. Toward
the other end Sir Percy Cox, British
Commissioner In Mesopotamia. is already
working politically. He Is making every
effort to set up "a native Government
with a minimum Of British guidance.
Palestine.
Perhaps the most interesting countr,
for which Britain holds the mandate 4
Palestine. This mandate was giver