, 1923-01-12

gether although they have no relation in fact. we
hear practically nothing of the large accretions of
territory that Great Britain and France obtained
as their share of the spoils of war.
These new acquisitions are located in all parts
of the world and are politely called "Mandates.p
but for all practical purposes are actual posses.
sions of the countries that now govern them. Ry
far the most extensive and valuable of the former
German colonies are in Africa and are known as
German Southwest Africa, Tanganyika German
East Africa, Togoland, and the kameruns. About
fourfifths of those areas fell to the lot of Great
Britain, and practically all the remainder to
France.
Consideration of their potential and deyeloped
wealth is of vital Importance in determining the
ability of those nations to meet their obligations
to the the United States. Those colonies are sub
stantially similar in climate, natural resources
and character of population, and for the purposes
OF this discussion will be considered together.
They have a combined area of 931, AGO SQUARE
miles, equal to all the United States east OF the
Mississippi river, with another New York state
thrown m. They have a population of about s.,
OOO,O0O natives and 2S,5OO whites. Their annual
export trade Is about $22,0OO,0U0, and their inl.
ports reach $24,00O,00O. Their varied list of prod
ucts gives an idea of their fertility and their ire
mendous possibilities as q source of world supply
when they shall have been fully developed: Cocoa,
rubber, rice, maize, yams, tobacco, cotton, kopak,
coffee, opal, copra, koIa nuts, kafir corn, slsal
flber, sorghum, bananas, vanilla, tea, hides and
skins, copper, marble, gold, sulphur, iron, mlca,
garnets, salt, lead, agaIes, topaz, ana diamonds.
About sI2,OUU,OuO worm vi diamonds have already
been exported and the deposits are being rapidly
developed. There are about 4,250,000 cattle, a,
100000 sheep and goats, and 10000 horses.
All this wealth has been realized with but one
white man to every forty square miles, or but
one white man TO every 34O, Wild, ignorant natives.
Both Great Britain and France are exerting them
selves to develop the natural riches of their new
possessions. When modern methods, directed by in
t%elligent, enterprising Englishmen and FIJI nclr
men, have been applied TO those territories the
wealth that they will produce may we'll stagger
the imagination. Fifty billion dollars would be q
conservative estimate to place on the value of
the future products of those former German,Af rt
scam colonies.
1t is not difficult to guess why mention of those
spoils of war is carefully omitted by those who
are always narping on remission or cancellation
of the allied debt 10 the United States, or who are
urging the enforcement of impossible repatriation
terms upon the Germans. To give the African
colonies their rightful place in International debt.
and Preparations discussions would completely alter
the positions assumed by Great Britain and Franco
towards Germany and the United States. If this
country is to act the role of arbiter in the repara.
tons dispute, let all the facts be laid bare and
not merely those about which we have heard so
much and on which the allies would like to see a
decision based. And in the meetings of the allied
debt ENJOYS with our foreign debt commission, let
them be confronted with figures not only of what
they suffered in the war, but of what they won.