1915-10-09 — Page 8

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

"THE OUTSKIRTS OF WAR LARGER".

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1915.

THE DECISION BETWEEN ENGLAND AND GERMANY. Bay, there are storekeepers and

ia

HOW AFRICA WILL BE AFFECTED.

the

1

General De Wet. As far back as 1907 I talked with ex-President Stoya upon this very subject. He had just returned from Germany, much impressed and been

Germany WB8 with what doing.

Sunday Writing Chronicle, Mr. John Briton Bays: If we look at the war outside we see at once that it is Еатора, a contest between land power and san power. And it is comforting to note that son power is gradual

I pointed out Germany's weak ly overhauling land power. Ger- many was well prepared and well point: she had not control of the sea. I pointed out also that when provisioned at Kian-Chau, but was doomed to defeat beccose she the struggle came, South Africa could not replenish her fortress could not stand neutral, because of relieve her garrison. The Iit would be one of the chief prizes lands of the Pasific fell one by one to Australia and Japau for the

Bame reason.

But the real crucial test was

Africa. Bere Germany had taken a strong bold, and prepared con- siderable defences. Her African Empire was twice as large as her Empire in Europe. It included rich territories, large native po- palations, and was garrisoned by both Gorman and native troops, well equipped with all the ma- chinery of German warfare. No: long ago, several German aerop- lanes were captured at a railhead

of the war ii Germany won. It was for Africa to decide either to share in the hardships of a sea blockade or remain faithful to a power which could protect the oversea commerce on which it livad.

destroyed through the brutality fal, expensive, unfair,

and

Union. They have vast holdings

For the last ten years our poli. They did it deliberately, to in Johannesburg, where they con- which maken the German, with unwise in time of war. tics have been cue long procession secure American sympathy and rol several powerful groups of all his good qualities, detested And the third, "No Prussisniem," of tage. To-day men speak in justify their submarine piracy. miues, their merchants are power throughout the world.

or the idea that everything Ger-rapture of the voluntary principle When I pointed this out at the ful in Cape Town and Delagos

What of the Future?

man is wrong, brutal bential, becauss in peace it suited; they time-knowing the wiles of Tir While the Boere bave conquer anhealthy, and rotten, has largely do not consider whether it is the pitz-a man wrote to say I was a wool and ostrich feather buyers ed German South-West Afrios, been the cause of our maddle best system in war. Compulsion pessimist. Another

tag. A along the whole of the back things have not gone quite eo and delay in organising our is an unpopular tag. Militariam pessimist. We call a pessimist country, their missionaries are well in British East Afrios. But resources because our system usually spies and secret service in the end, if our blockade seemed so much the better, where agente, and they have an un-maintained, the Cermane must be as it is no system at all, and the limited amount of cash with defeated, and the whole of the reason why we have not co- wbioh to corrupt the not incor- vast country from Lake Nyama to operated in a grand offensive in Victoria Nyanza, from Lake Tan- Jaly is owing to our lack of ruptible bargher.

ganyike to the sss, will fall into system, our hande. In the Camercous we have made more progress, thanks to our brave Nigerian troops, and there sleo, if we persevere, we must in the end conquer.

No one knows, and no one will ever know, what General Botha and General Smuts had to face when they chose to stand by the British Empire. If they had decided for å veiled neutrality, they might have maintained their with ease and even position dignity. Enormone pressure was brought to bear on both of them South-West to leave German Africa alone and content them saves with sa attitude of beae volence to the British cause. Old friends were cold, old comrades like Beyere deserted them, they were threatened on every band by a rebellion which might destroy them, and which would certainly These arguments left the ex-divide their people into two has As an Orauge tile camps, they were ill supplied presklent cold. Fres Stater he cared little, and both with big guns and rifles, perhaps knew little, about any they had not one aeroplane, they Borca of South African wealth knew that the conquest of German except agriculture, and he shared South-West Africs would be a the belief of most old Bera that most difficult business, and might South Africa would be much ead in disaster. And yet chose to better without any oversea trade stand firm by their oath and pursue the path of daty in face of at all.

Ex-President & eyout that time every obstacle. The devotion of was the true les ler of the Orange these two men is something Free Stalers. Disabled by the which the British people ought to loss of his health, he had given understand and appreciate, for it his mantil to a fanatic of the same is no small thing. brand, General Hertzog, and together they worked on the old Boer traditions of Africa for the Afrikander. There was also a jealousy between the Urange Free ticular Do Wet, the rough old forget, and one of the things they State and the Transvaal. In par- guerilla leader without any glimremembered was that the Corman merings of statesmanship, was Emperor had egged and bagaited jealous of the rise of infance of them into the war with England his own comrade-in-arms, GeneralBad left them in the lurch in the The German Plan.

hoar of their soreat need. When These were only the founda- Boths,

The Transvaal was very differ-Kruger went to Germany, a hum- tions. In South America there was a large population of Germanent; its leaders, General Botas ble suppliant, he was tarned from the the Kiner's doorstep, and it is reservists. The German plan was and General Smuts, wore to ship these reserviste to the reveres of fanatics. They were number of 20,000 from South educated men-General Smuts

They

I do not know, that the German America to German South. Weat highly educated, Africa. That would have made civilised; they had friends among Emperor gave Lord Roberts bis an army of 30,000 men, which the the English, especially the Eng victorious plan of campaign. If Germans calculated would havelish soldier, and they had no hot the Germans had behaved like been joined by ten or fifteen tility for Britieb influenco as such. gentlemen in the South Afriosn They were in control of Southwar they might not now have lost thousand Boer rebels in the Union of South Africa. The German Afrios, they had been given South Africa. As it is, their dis-

in the Cameroons. Last autuma, German aeroplanes were flying and Colony, Uspe

round Саре circling

over.

aven Town.

In German South-West Africa there was a garrison roughly sati- mated at between sight and ten

thousand men. As far back as 1906, there were at least two bat. teries of 6-inch gans in German forme me that when the war broke South-West Africa, a friend in- out the German strength in gans and was 130 pieces, largo

small,

Wero

"Nobody Loves Me."

Union Government had this ad- It is trae, of course, that the vantage, that the Germans are pot personally popular with the Datch. The Boars do not easily

mmonly believed througboat

we now associate with Prasein, though it has nothing to do with the question. For the question for as is not what Prussia in, but what we are, owing to our un- preparednese, as opposed to Prussia: whether, that is our striking force is sufficient as it is or requires strengthering; and, if the latter, whether we had not better get to work and attain to the strength required.

any man who does not say what we want to believe. Men in London are now dooketed sa per

imiala and optimists, though the only reason I can discover for either appellation is that ticag who supply tresole are preferred to those who supply wisdom,

Both attitudes are wrong, lo war we want neither foolish ar rogance nor depression; we want

And we have to got deal them. The way to do that is not by doping ourselves with self-made costroms, but by realising where we Are deficient and remedying without delay out deficiencies. There is

The Hatred of Militarism. This land tug, right in one sa- pact, is wrong utterly in another,

facte. We need sane counsel, and seems to me to be one of our But what is to be done with greatest dangers. The people

Political Blarney.

wise prognostication, intelligent, these places after the war? Ger- have been taught to believe that But for the taga about Prossian-i.e., constructive criticism, The many has used these territories as we are fighting for some abstract im, about the Voluntary prin- silly victory-shoulor dosa quite sa BJ the moaner. a base to attack the British Em code of honour, an ideal, a state ciple, about the Liberal Idea, much harm pire in Africs; her whole idea is of perfection, and not for power, about Business as Usual, about Nothing is so foolish se to under- "What does your best girl think rate the foe. In a country, of to make Africa German; for years which really is the case. They abe has intrigued to secure the have been told that Praseianism about you?"-it is difficult to voluntary effort nothing in more Belgian Congo, and on the very stands for all that in base, vile, believe that large bodies of men dangerous.

What we need to-day is to get eve of war she had negot ated and wicked, and that since Frus in the twelfth month of the war with our Foreign Office an arianism means system, education, would organise and strike for rid of our tags and look resolutely apon the facts, as they are, and rangement by which the East to organisation, government, firm-Germany.

We know that these men are not as we may faxoy them, Had West route norose tropical Africa aeae, and intelligent application, would have passed under Gorman therefore all these things are bad, courageous enough, virile, at we done so, we should have been control. German East Africa cute and must never again be sanction-heart profoundly British. If they for more ready to day to deal the strike, it is because they are living | dermans the necessary decisive the British Cape to Cairo line in ed.

wo, and this East and West This is the result of the tag.up to their lage, to their peace blows. roate would have diverted moet of I don't say business mon think affirmations. They have never its traffic to Dar-es-Salam. The such twaddle, but the people have bought about war, they do no natives bate the Germans, the cold this-chiefly for martial par- know what it meane, they are not Boers in British colonies dislike poses to spur them on to action told. Their leaders go on with them no less as neighbours, the and it is the people who rule in the old cries-Labour and Capital Germans hate England. Why, England, having the numbers oblivious to country, to the war in the name of commonsense and and the vote. equity, should we now think of These people do not pause to giving any of theas territories think that in war the enemy is back to Germany after the war? always reviled, stripped of all Yet I predict, when peace virtnes, denounced, anathematis negotiations begin, we shall find ad, saddled with all the vices on many ofour little England friends the earth. It does not occar to will give Germany what they call philosophy pleading for a settlement which Robineon that passion is the

room for expansion" at the that

passion philosopher. cost of Britisk interests,

Smith says to himself; "This is no good in war time. They CHANCELLOR AND accorsed Prussianism must be are enmeshed in their own tage destroyed, because our system and false Gods. They fear them, is the better." He forgets that but they cannot free themselves France and Russia are fighting from their words, their protests- tions, their premises, their on precisely the same military

falsities, eyetem, and that if they did not have it they would months ago bave been destroyed, and weed by our refusal to fight, arm,ed Press, telegraphs:- would to-day be fighting Germany

41

It is for the British public to be rigilant and to see that this great betrayal shall never take place.

THE TYRANNY OF THE

"TAG

of

and WAT, is

8 poor

South Africa, on what foundation AN EVIL INFLUENCE OF THE for our very existence.

DAY.

By Austin Harrison.

The Wrong Tags.

outside the country.

oo tag for that. The German And the Government, too, is word, Tag or Dog, is" apon us, equally hide bound, because it. Since we intend it to be Our Day, too, lives on tags. You canut the best thing we can do is to drop expect the men who govern by our disintegrating individualiams consent or the vote suddenly to for the uniform of unity, and turn round and explain that the national comprehension. old lax waye won't da; the old methods are not adequats; the old go-as-you-please system is no system; the old political blarney

The French to-day are stagger organise, and create nationally. They cannot understand that miners strike, that men think of interest, principle, idea, and theary when all is at stake, when the very continuity of Britaio hange in the balance.

Franch Patriotism. In ordinary times their politio are far fiercer than oura, Their Socialism is a grest State force.

GERMAN ADMIRALTY.

New York,

August 20. Mr. Carl W. Ackerman, the Berlia correspondent of the Unit-

The Berlin Foreign Office in analterably opposed to submarine activity such as evidenced by the Arabic affair and it was on the initiative of this Government Ds- partment that immediate steps were taken with Mr. Gerard, the American Ambassador. The nature of these negotiations is still unknown to the German public.

It is stated on the highest aut-

scheme was that France should everything they had asked for, appearance will be regretted by people in the country are more the souls of the people, a strange | Religion also plave a bitter part|hority that Herr von Jagow, Se-

they had baan honoured and none. treated, not as vanquished, but almost

The Dream of the Vlerklour.

The nativas especially will re

It is an absolute foot that some M. P.'s openly gay, "Sooner than militarism, let us be beaten." These extraordinary beings seem to regard what they call militarism as a monster buzzard or valture It has long besa remarked that with a million talons clawing into be attacked first, England being

and more influenced and then carnivorous beast that sucks up

in pablic life. Yet in France toaretary for Foreign Affaire, and kept unsuspiciously neutral. The

as victore, they worejoice, for the native hates the ruled by the "tag," or headline, the blood and spirit of men. German reservists from South

Bense. Oar principles, Editors met months ago and animans in their soxiety to settle Amerios were to be brought across genuinely grateful to England, German. When the Germans We may justify it on the ground Their papers gravely write in the day there is a wonderful unity, the Imperial Chancellor, are an

of the pace of modern civilisation, same went to Damaraland, the pastures and to the necessity of immediate they say. Defeat is preferable to agreed to agree on all points the American difficulties once and as quietly and gradually as pos- and had no desire to change. sible, and when France was de-

of that vast country were occupifacts and rapid sesimilation. On national service; and what they men who before the war refused forall, and to retain the friendship feated, and the moment came to Too Gorun throw in their lot ad by several of the m at barm-

The Kainer is expected to ap attack England, the invasion of with the Hertzig factions, and, less tribe in the whole of Afrios. the other hand, the headline na-mean is that Prussianism is such to meet or speak to one another. of the United States in any event, under Socialists, Syndicalists, Apaches, prove the course of the Imperial the Union of South Africa was to finding it impossible to detach The Hereros and the Damarasurally leads to sensation and all terrible imposition that 'twere Politicians have agreed to agres

the time more concentrated es- better to muddle along

German satrapy.

Cathelics, Protestants, Imperis-Chancellor, in spite of the open be one of the principal diver Botha and Smate from the British were cattle-raising people, their sions.

Now there can be no question lists all are one spirit, one en-opposition to any disavowal of interest, concentrated rather on meat being sold in the butohers' sence of facts and a more sen- The German invading army

separating the more doubtial of shops in Cape Town. The Ger 8stional framework which, it re- wad his followers. They secured mane believed in the policy of the quires no difficulty to see does not whatever that had our rafera last orgy. Not a man hesitates about submarine activities which con to raise the Republican gand

Admiralty. declare for a free South Africa General Bayers, and their intri bigh hand with the native. They make either for calm reflection August understood war and had the day of service or the right staatly emanates from the German

realised what we were in for, and, of France to command it. or accurate judgment.

A beautiful patriotism unites The Chancellor is extremely de- ander German protection, and it nea had made even that fine old tco: from the natives their cattle

Let me give an example of what so realising, had proclaimed the Boer, Delarey, so androided that and their cattle preservas. The

Í mean. was calculated that at least one he seemed first on one side and white settlere thought nothing of samples of this philosophy of national duty, unity, organisation, unprecedented Rocard and deter cord as an observer of Internation- We had three great ex-taga, "Nothing as usual; all in; the French, galvanising them into sirous of placing Germany on re- half of the Dutch population on the other. To such men, shooting the men and ill-treating the headline when war broke out, sad effort," we should never have mination. Only one thing they al Law as regarda sos warfare, and would respond to the appeal. A dash to Kimberley, followed by th

No dream of the Vierkleur again the women.

and we have suffered from them bad a monition scandal, and know-the enemy. Yet here we in thin case will win his de independent 30

General von Trotha's proclama-

not have found argue, dispute, strike, muddle, mend that submarines in future an advance on the Rand, world ging over

ever since. One was "Business should have

Pretoria was paralysed South Africa,

too strong to be tion of November 21 is character.

as Uaual"; second was "Ke ourselves to-day beginning to theorise, and temporise as if we shall thoroughly warnenemy ships iatio. After socusing the Herer.

National had years before us, as if there before Bring their torpedoes or would have stopped the gold sup.

"instead of the King's think Army

was no need of national effort or shells, ply to England, the Germans midable movement backed by a proclamation proceeded :-

The reballion was a very for os of marder and outrage, the Army; the third was "No Prus Register.

Thereis considerable discussion would have then pushed on to

Bat our taga rang in the op. say danger in delay. sentiment. There The Herero nation must now

Oar Patriotism thus is indivi- in official oiteles as to whether the Lourenco Marques, and held the vary strong

leave the

All were true—at the time--and posite sense, National effort bever were, I sapporo, about 12,000 line from the Orange Hiver to rebels in the field, and if General

Chancellor's step creates a precs- country. If the people do it not I will compel "Businges as Uenal" last August, Join, if you like, we cried; no Fellowship Brigade write pam- probably close all complications

needful, It was right to cry noourred to our pease pandits. daal; it is not national,

When the No-Conscription dent, but it is agreed that it will Dolagon Bay.

Botha had made one mistake, them with the big tabe; within because things looked panicky, change; our amateurishness is The scheme was well thought there were many doubtful in Cape the German frontier every and the origis neither the for better than Prussian system, phlets to denounce war, they pro- with Americs, including the Lasi out, but it rested on one weak Colony who might have joined.

Herero with or without a rifle, stagnation of trench warfare nor and so on.

olsim a mere tag, for in times of tania case; which remained unset. with or without cattle, will be the checking of the German

No wonder miners still strike. sotion thought of an abstract kind led following President Wilson's spot; it calculated on the neatrali. As it was, by a series of swift and decisive combinatione, General ty of England while France wWEB

shot. I will not take over any ourueb were foreseen. Unfort No wonder some 2,000,000 on has no reason because no power. Isat Note to Germany. more women, and children, but

Thus, the correspondeût con- being orushed, and there the plan Smuts and General Baths quench-

unately,

it stack and still sticke, married men still shirk. No Many of these men don't want us I will either drive them back to The ery has enormously hindered wonder we drifted into muddle to lose the war But by never olades, "if the United States ap your people or have them fired

recruiting, the nation from grasp after maddie. The tags bade us think of that. All the time their prove the prezent altitude of the on. These are my words to

ing the magnitude of the task drift and muddle and estry on principle is the thing. Yet in Obanosilor, this step will aid le the nation of the Hereros. The before it, hindered in a real mes- anyhow, whereas the essential reality they are se absurd in time clearing the entire situation, and Great General of the

sure the national appreciation of need was to systematise our life of war as a soldier shooting on will materially strengthen the Mighty Emperor, You

and make a clean sweep of all our golf course would be in times of policy of Herr von Bethmann its responsibilities. Traths,

Hollweg and Herr 100 Jagow, The "K. Army" ory unquestion-party political contraptions which peace.

The "Tag" About Pessimist. which is a deep desire for peace Some months ago the Germans with America." ---

Ezokange ably is largely responsible for our were not conceived for waging a casual principle the most wanted to that purpose.

The Woak Spot.

came to abipwreck.

rosistad.

ed the fire before it had time to The Germans were left with, at spread. The handling of this re the most, 10,000 troops in Ger-bellion was as brilliant as the later man South-West Africa, with achievement in the enemy's their plan for a general rising in country.

The Germans in South Africa.

the Union, though well advanced,

The Germans, it should be

still incomplete. They had se cured the neutrality of the Orange remembered, are very strong in Free State leaders, ex-President South Africa, not only in their

Kafire will not go into German territory, thus both their native

aianism."

.

of B

Steyn, General Herizog, and own country, hat throughout the land their imported labour was continuance of the voluntary or world war, and cannot be adepted started the hare of starvation. Telegraph'Oompany,

;