Evening star., 1936-10-18
HITLER COLONY DEMANDS
CHIEFLY AFFECTBRITAIN
Territory Sought in Africa Reported to
Include the Gold Coast and Nigeria.
Schacht Is Guiding Force.

ner colonies concentrated In one sec
tor, separated from the main French
colonies in North Africa by the Sahara
Desert and from South Africa by the
enormous territory which Is the Bel.
gian Congo. The fact that Liberia is
an independent state and a member Of
the League does not seem to worry
anybody in Europe very much. The
colored republic has been giving head
aches TO all the important government
in Europe and to the United States
and it might be just as we'll ''if little
law and order Is brought into the
country by stern Nazi discipline"
Rich in Raw Materials.
The entire territory which the Ger.
mans demand at the present moment
is rich in raw materials which the
Reich needs badly. But the geograph-
ical position of the colonies is such
that communications with the Reich
could be intercepted easily by the
British fleet in case Germany showed
any aggressive intentions in Western
Europe. The main sacrifice In this
colonial settlement is demanded from
Great Britain since Nigeria Is the
largest Of all these territories included
in the German scheme for the resur-
rection of her colonial empire. The
British government has been informed
about the Reich's claims, but has ex.
pressed no definite opinion. The Brit
ish public at large and the dominion
governments are strongly opposed to
any concessions in the colonial field.
The greatest opposition DR.. Schacht
has encountered so far comes from
French quarters. Blum has listened
with interest to DR.. Schacht's expose
and has replied, it is reported. that
there would be insurmountable DIM
culties when the matter Is brought
before the French Parliament. He
must be in a position, should his gov
ernment show any interest in the sug-
gestion, to give Germany the three
French colonies, to offer a quid pro
quo which would make 1t worth while
for France to abandon parts Of its
territories. Germany must prove con-
clusively, he said. that she does not
intend to use the raw materials to
dominate Europe and she must agree
to a substantial limitation Of arma-
ments.
The French premier indicated that
the matter could not possibly receive
any consideration, as far as the
French government is concerned. un-
til after the conference Of the sigma
tories of the Locarno pact. Should
that conference prove successful and
should the Germans and their allies,
the Italians. show a really concilia-
tory spirit and agree to a drastic re-
duction Of armaments it might be pos
sible for the French government to
consider seriously the German colo
NAL plan. But, Blum added, 1t is diff
ficult at the moment for any French
man to conceive that Germany has
pacific intentions when. during the
negotiations for a colonial empire,
she has practically doubled her
standing armies.
Opposition No Surprise.
The opposition of the French gov
ernment did not surprise Berlin. II
was fully expected. But Hitler,
through Expert Schacht, merely want
ed TO peg in Paris the claim for African
territories. Diplomatic conversations
have continued in London and in
Paris-more frequently in London than
in the French capital. The Germans
know that the British want peace at
any price for two more years at least.
Peace in Western Europe has
price" say Hitler's henchmen. And
that price is the reinstatement Of the
Reich as a colonial power. Great Brit
ain and France gained enough terri
tories after the defeat of old Germany.
II is a small price to pay, by the cession
of few relatively unimportant colo
MES to Germany" And. as an addi-
tionaI argument, the German guns can
be seen bristling by all who want to
look that way.
(Copyrisht, 1860