Colonies

Germany And Her

Position Of New Guinea And Samoa

SEVERAL months ago we made a fore cast in this journal that at no distant date Germany would commence propa ganda in favour of the return of the colonies taken from her during the Great War; and that this demand by Germany would be sympathetically regarded by Great Britain.

That forecast has proved quite correct.

Addressing business men at the Leip zig Spring Fair, in March, the Minister for Economics (Dr. Schacht) said that It was becoming daily more obvious that colonies were absolutely necessary to an industrial state as sources of raw ma terials. It was clear that if Germany had her colonies the monetary transfer prob lem would be immensely easier. She had no alternative to obtaining raw materials except by barter. She must buy where she could obtain them in exchange for German goods.

This was followed by direct represen tation to the British Minister, Mr. Eden, when he visited Berlin at the end of March to discuss armaments and allied questions with the German Government.

Generally speaking, the matter of the re turn to Germany of some of those terri tories placed under mandates at the end of the war is becoming one of the liveliest issues in international politics.

Pacific interests are affected because of uncertainty regarding the future of New

Guinea and Western Samoa. We ex pressed the opinion a couple of months ago that, in the end, Germany would not make any insistent demand concerning those Pacific territories, for the reason that their repossession by Germany would represent a strategical weakness. They are at the end of 10,000 miles of commu nications and their adequate defence would represent a problem far outweigh ing their economic importance. The trend of international events since then sup

ports the view that Germany probably will be satisfied in the end if she regains pos session of her former African territories (South West Africa, East Africa, and the Cameroons) which will give her a source of abundant supplies of raw ma terials and scope for her colonising enter prise.

A group of well-known New Guinea residents snapped recently at the newly opened Salamaua Baths. From left to right: Mrs. Sedgers, Mr. E. H. Chater, Mrs. C. R. Gurney, Mr. “Bunny”

Hammond, Mrs. Hammond, Mrs. Judd.

Photo; L. V. Waterhouse.