Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 February 1919 — WANT UNITED STATES TO TAKE ON SOME OF GERMAN COLONIES [ARTICLE]

WANT UNITED STATES TO TAKE ON SOME OF GERMAN COLONIES

Feeling in England That America Should Discard Her Traditional Aloofness and Assume Administration of Part of Captured Lands—New Form of Colonial Control Is Being Advocated.

By LLOYD ALLEN,

Special Staff Correspondent. Western Newspaper Union.) London.—“ Will America be wlUing to take on some of the German colonies W Turkish possessions in the pear East?” That is a question that is uppermost fn the minds of a large sect to of the governing class of England. Men who have led British political thought for years believe that we “should assume some of the responsibility of governing the lands captured from the Germans and Turks.” as one leading British -pubHrist—told—me— recewtly,-There—is_ a double reason back of this idea. First of all, America is an Englishspeaking nation that can be trusted to administer wisely and well the destinies of a less-enlightened people. Secondly, “it Is only through actual participation in the responsibilities of looking after far-away colonies that America can ever appreciate the true atate of mind of the British people of all classes, upper, middle and lower, on this delicate subject of empire,” It Is stated by several prominent propagandists. * Division of Colonies. At this stage of the peace negotiations the question of dividing the colonies is a matter on which no public man is anxious to go on record. But unofficially the subject Is attracting wide attention. Too many interests are Involved to invite outspoken discussion. There are larger problems that must first be, solved : The limitation of armaments, freedom of the seas and above all other subjects, formation of a league of nations. Once these are disposed of the colonial knot will probably be quickly cut. It is with implicit faith in the ultimate outcome of these basic affairs that the intelligent Briton outlines his belief that America, if she is to remain as a leading factor in world politics, must go into the colony business. Should such a course be embarked on by the United States, should we take, for instance, the administration of Palestine and Armenia and possibly some of the former German lands In South Africa, It would be put on the same platform. that the best elements In England accept for India : namely, that sooner or later India will develop Into a dominion capable of self-govern-ment, like Canada and Australia, and must then be given every freedom to determine her own destiny.

The same principles would apply to the subject African states —ultimate freedom to choose whether or not the ties that hind to the mother country must be cut, or allowed to remain. Answerable to League of Nations. Through all the days of American administration —and it Is admitted many of these days would prove irksome and expensive—America would be answerable to thejeague of nations for her actions in the territory held in trust, just as the other European powers, England, France and Italy, will be answerable’ to the league of nations peoples. -4 In brief, intelligent England is recommending for world con_sideratipn a new form of colonial control, with the feeling that the world has outgrown the days when a Spanish tyrant could terrorize Cuba, or a brutalized German government could commit atrocities in South Africa. There is In America a somewhat general belief that the average British citizen takes great pride in the large colonial possessions of his country; that he gloats with much satisfaction over the fact that Great Britain controls something like one-quar-ter of the Inhabitable portions of the (world. Our ideas on this subject are not exactly correct. There u a large element In the this country that is dead against the proposal to acquire any more territorial possessions. In fact, among the Labor party, which showing unusual strength

these days, there is a firm conviction that India must soon be allowed to say what her government shall be. ■ . Problemstoße-Solvda ■ ■ Here we have another side of the problem that many predict will be solved by providing for enlightenment ■of th e uncivil i zed eol on lal peoples, an d by introducing into colonial government a number of reforms —prohibition of the sale of alcohol to natives, first of alVand next the establishment of welfare departments calculated to better the living conditions of the natives. Much effort is being expended here in England to start fundamental reforms in the attitude toward the colonies. Booklets are being issued and are just off the press. One entitled “Windows of Freedom” carries an introduction by Viscount Grey. “America’s Place in eWorld Government” is given considerable space. It is strongly pointed out that “none of the territories outside Europe detached by this war from the German and Turkish empires can in the near future provide peace, order and good government for themselves. How to

provide government for these territories Is the most difficult of the questions which the conference has to face. From a hundred lips and pens the answer will come that the solution lies in international control. The league of nations will solve the problem. The booklet then empliUsizes that the league of nations, In itself, cannot provide actual government for the colonies: that govemmen' must be furnished by ope of the associated powers, acting In a way as agent for the league of nations and of course responsible to the league. Freedom Is Secured. “The control of the four continents has fallen, or W now falling, to the free peoples of the earth,” the booklet with the Viscount’ Grey Introduction states, and by that control the existence of freedom is secured, not only in Europe, but also In America and Australia. “But what is the effect of this victory to be on Asia. Africa and. the scattered remnants of primitive society who inhabit a hundred Pacific isles? In the end the effect must be that they, too, will achieve .the art of governing themselves. But the question, how soon can the end be reached, depends on a right understanding by the free nations who now control the world of the delicate and complex nature of the problem. Failure to grasp it will not only delay the end but may yet set the civilized world by the ears,” in brief, may yet form the grounds' for another war. There is no sentiment expressed in the publications now being issued on the colonial problem against any feature of the fourteen- points laid down in President Wilson’s peace declaration. Instead, there Is shown an effort to make these points harmonize with the arguments advanced for American participatldh in colonial government.

What Wilson Said. President Wilson’s fifth clause, In the notable fourteen points, asks for “A free, open-minded and absolutely impartial adjustment of all colonial claims based upon a strict observance of the principle that in determining all such questions of sovereignty the Interests of the populations concernedmust .have equal weight with the equitable claims of the government whose title is to be determined.” The whole point at Issue, according to this recently published British view, is that no government shall claim exclusive title to the captured lands, but that one government must take the responsnjnityofadrnlriTstrationfindbe responsible in turn to an international tribunal.

Clause twelve .of the president’s peace terms provide for the lopping off of Armenia and Palestine from Turkey and insist that these one-time subject states shall “be assured an undoubted security of life and an absolutely unmolested opportunity of autonomous development,” which opportunity, it is pointed out here, would most assuredly be provided were America acting as a kind of big brother to the Armenians and people of Palestine. A There Is hope here among the most far-seeing British thinkers that America will discard her traditional aloofness, and become custodian of the Armenians, of Palestine, and take charge even of the Dardanelles, maintaining an open-door policy, a policy the British will undoubtedly strongly urge on the French and Italian governments as an expedient In wise territorial government. It is even being urged that we take over the task of preserving the autonomy of Persia and Arabia. That America possesses knowledge for handling such a large assignment is undoubted. It is pointed out that Roberts college and the American missions in the near East have given us a preponderant share, if not a monopoly. of public-spirited men, many of them natives of this section of the world who consequently have first-hand knowledge of these regions. Incidentally, from the near East, promote railroad construction without offense to the British. and could assist In that most vexatious problem of the day, the restoration of Russia, the blind giant amon'n nations, the Grey booklet says.