Germany In Samoa

Interesting Glimpses of Pre-War History

UNDER the heading of “The German Peril” many a reader has in the past been primed up to be aware of a cer tain something, which darkens the sky, and which at a given moment may swoop down on him, devour him, destroy what ever he created, and blight his life for ever. The world in general, ever since the ending of the last Century, has slowly, and I may say scientifically, been made to fear “The Enemy of Civilisation.”

When New Guinea and, later, Samoa, were put under the German flag, this part of the globe went hysterical with fear and forebodings of what was going to happen to the British colonies. Those groups were considered the jumping-off places for the invasion of Australia and New Zealand. Everybody, also the writer, re members well those “true” stores, that were told in the Press, and in the pubs, of all sorts of happenings, when Germans were met, where the sabre was rattled and the air filled with bombastic speeches.

The commercial world readily picked up the trend of the public opinion, and, wherever a German trading-post or busi ness was established, where a German vessel showed her nose, a powerful pro paganda was let off. No deal could be more crooked than that made with one of them! And talk about all those naval bases, which had been and would be es tablished all over these Islands!

Just lately, the same kind of propa ganda appears to be spread, or rather, attempts at that are appearing; and I think it is only fair, just and opportune, to point out to your readers how unwar ranted, unfair, and incorrect the old pro paganda has been, so that to-day all of us, who are making our living in these islands —or, rather, attempting to do so — may be able to keep on living in peace and with that friendliness to each other which behoves members of the white races, who have realised in their own selves the terrible sufferings and unde served hardships which a catastrophe, like the one past may bring down on us again. Right now, we must look out for our racial safety and we can do so only by looking to each other.

Having lived in Samoa for just one third of a century, having held a respon sible position with the German Adminis tration, and being an independent planter and business-man of these days, I believe I am entitled to a fair hearing, while as suring you that I am giving you only such happenings which I know to be facts, and facts only.

Before 1900, during the tri-partite Gov ernment of Samoa, the air and the land were filled with jealousies, strife and fights. Because every one of the three Governments wanted Samoa, it was na tural that the owners of the place, the natives, were used to play the part of their so-called friends, resulting in pro gress and development being retarded and held off altogether.

From the day the German Government was established, equal trade-rights were accorded, not only to the nationals of the three Powers, but to everyone who was in Samoa, and who came later! Everybody was allowed to settle, acquire land, en gage in work or business, and not the slightest differentiation was ever imposed.

Letter to the Editor.

German goods paid the same import du ties as British, and other goods. To-day I may safely state that this treatment re sulted in the British residents of German Samoa handing the officer in command of the occupying troops, before they landed in August, 1914, a petition signed by them all, to the effect that, as the German Gov ernment and the Germans in Samoa had treated them well, they respectfully asked that the same treatment be accorded them from then on. Surely this was not “cant.” It was the natural result of a “fair deal” received.

And what about those military and naval bases, which were said to exist?

The occupying forces found, I think, 60 old Mauser carbines with 40 rounds of ammunition each, no soldiers at all; and, in place of a naval station, a heap of coal on the Apia Beach, in Matautu! During

all those 14 years of German regime over Samoa, there were always one or two members of the Governor’s Council ap pointed from the British residents, and as a natural result, the language at their meetings was mostly that of these two representatives.

Some of your readers may ask, what about B.P. in the Caroline Islands. The answer is easy. The right to trade had been granted to that old German firm, which had been established there for a number of years when Burns Philp’s ship of-trade put in an appearance. And what happened after? When the matter was considered, B.P. were allowed in. And when this same firm applied for a trading licence in Samoa it was granted (I think it was in 1912, when I happened to have the honour to be the Collector of Customs and Taxes for Samoa) and they have been established in Samoa ever since.

Just one more happening to show the feelings of the members of all those foreign residents in Samoa before the War. When several of the native con stabulary ran amok in February, 1914, and killed several German planters, all whites united with the German residents and officials in search-parties for miles in the bush and, when finally those boys were

shot down in a pig-pen miles away from Apia, they were there to also face the deadly bullets which those troopers fired in their defence. Surely, there is a very certain reason for that!

You say nothing against other white nations, who send their ships to take your cargoes, whose nationals settle and marry in your country—so-called neu trals during the War, who lost neither lives nor treasure. But you do attempt to run down us Germans. Why? Is it because there are 66 millions of us— which some day may be very useful to fall back on, indeed! And don’t you think and also agree that there is more honour and respect due us for having stood off twenty nations for over four years, than those twenty can claim for having downed us in the end?

Why this scare, at all? Have we not given proof a-plenty that, under the Ger man flag, absolute freedom and liberty have been granted, allowed and issued, and never anything like a conquest even contemplated ?

When talking about Japan, you coolly admit their right to expand, that their country is too small; but when we want to settle in other lands you stand up and shout from the housetops: “Beware of these —!”

Have you forgotten that we are of one blood? Have you forgotten that this was the first time in history that we fought each other? And have you never heard that even the propagators and instigators of this War in your camp have realised to-day that it all was a terrible mistake?

If you have not, ask those men who fought in the front trenches, and not those who only filled sandbags and — gasbags!

I gladly join hands with Major Schnockel in appealing to the readers of your valuable monthly to let bygones be forgotten, forgotten altogether. We all have arrived on a new plane of thinking.

Our necessities to-day are vastly different from those of years ago!

I am, etc.

R. P. Berking.

Samoa, Nov. 21, ’33.