Evening star., 1947-05-25
British Plan
New Empire
South Africa Vital
in Comeback
Struggle
By Constantine Brown
The Stars Foreign Affairs Analyst

Mediterranean and that the United
States is expected to assume that
lrole come as no surprise to Wash
lington official quarters.
i Britain is now attempting to or
lganize new empire in Africa. It
has been known since last October
that the London government was
preparing to abandon its military
obligations in the Mediterranean
and was hoping that America would
assume them.
Ever since the British government
decided to abandon its empire in
the Far East by giving India uncon-
ditional freedom.it has been obvious
that she would no longer be inter-
4 ested in the Eastern Mediterranean,
which in the past she considered
her lifeline. Last October the State
Department received definite infor-
nation that British troops would
be withdrawn from Greece. Later
Britain displayed slackening inter-
est in the question of the Darda-
nelles.
U, S. Lacks Bases.
/ Whether the United States will be
able to replace Britain as the Medi-
terranean policeman is moot ques-
ton. One of the most serious
physical handicaps is the fact that
we have neither naval nor air bases
IN that area, and it SENS doubtful
that we could avail ourselves of the
important bases at Malta or Cyprus.
Britain cannot survive even as
second-rate power without CO.
lonial empire. 1t is a poor country,
lacking almost all kinds Of raw ma
trials, except coal. Her population
lis overwhelmingly industrial. The
recent food shortages, two years
after the end of the war in Europe,
reveal that she still relies almost
exclusively on imported food. Ade-
quate food supplies cannot be
brough; to the United Kingdom
without a favorable export balance.
The British workman suffers
more than the capitalist from
abandonment of the Asiatic empire.
This is fully realized by the Labor
government and by a majority of
the House of Commons. The Brit
ish need an empire, not for the
sake Of the capitalists, who can
always find an outlet for their
money elsewhere, but for the sake
Of millions OF workers.
Some See Deal With France.
The government believes it has
found the answer. It is planning
to move the imperial activities to
an area which can be more easily
policed and which does not lend
itself to international conflict
Africa, south Of the Equator, with
Kenya Province in the north as its
chief base.
Some more ambitious Britishers,
such as representatives of the Con-
servative Party, believe that some
agreement might possibly be reach
ed with France for joint exploitation
OF the entire African continent,
which contains many little-devel-
oped raw materials. Except for
North Africa, where the Arabs COM
prise a pretty solid block, the rich
areas in Central Africa are popu-
lated by people who still lack any
feeling OF national unity. It is in
such areas where imperialism can
be developed and proven beneficial
for those who dominate and are
dominated.
Negotiations toward the creation
OF such an empire are being carried
out at present by the governments
OF Britain and South Africa on the
one hand and Belgium and France,
which control the Congo and por-
tion OF West Africa, on the other,
i Empire Is Shrinking.
i The British decision to move out
OF Asia was taken after deliberate
discussion and planning. The chief
reason was that all the British
politicians have become fully aware
of the fact that Britain is no longer
world power. Her only hope of
taking a more limited position as
one OF the world leaders rests in
the possibility of organizing a new
empire in Africa south of the Equa-
tor. This will require her to enter
a partnership not only with France,
Belgium and Portugal, but also the
Union of South Africa, which only
last month received the royal
family.
The British government ahan-
doned India and is ready to abar-
don all other possessions in the
Indian Ocean. including Malaga.
1t has no longer the means to con-
/ troll them, particularly since Russia
has emerged as a world power of
the first order and has shown
clearly that it does not intend to
tolerate Britain in her backyard.
/ According to reports from reliable
sources, the whole matter of Britain
moving out of Asia politically ard
militarily was submitted last De-
cember to Prime Minister Stain by
Field Marshal Viscount Montgom-
cry, chief of the British imperial
staff. Lord Montgomery paid a
visit to Moscow, where he was
received with more pomp tnan any
other western Allied military leader
has been accorded.
Montgomery Outlined Policy.
The abstemious Scot was dined
and wined in true Russian fashion.
He visited Russian military estab-
Ilishments and was presented with a
sable-lined coat. But above every-
thing else, he had a long conversa-
| tion with Prime Mi,iSter CtaH,