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NAZI. POLIC.Y
The declaration of Nazi policy de
livered on behalf of the dictator,
Herr Hitler, at the vast and spec
tacular annual congress of the Nazi
Party at Nuremberg, which is
stated to be costing £2,00Q,000,
does not contain anything startling
ly new. As nobody expected Gei:
many .to renounce her claim for the
return of the colonies which she lost
as part of the price of her defeat in]
the Great War, the declaration that
she cannot do so has caused no sur
prise; but the contention that their
return is an econonic necessity to
the nation is open to question. as
is the statement that "We would
know how to make them an eco.
nomic success." Germans who have
migrated to foreiga colutrics--par
ticularly to parts of the British
Empire and to Anierica--have
proved in the main excellent colon
ists and admirable citizens, who
were more readily absorbed into the
communities of their adoption than
the people of most other alien races.
The history of Germany's own
colonisation, however, contains few
if any notable successes, and her col
omes never sheltered or gave em
ployiment to any great number of
German-born citizens. The fact that
the German colonists have usually
done far better in non-German
countries than in her own colonies,
indeed, appears to be a direct chal
lenge to the soundness of German
colonial administration.
Most of the ex-German colonies
were mandated to Britain and the
lDominýfions, and it is safe to saythat
eredry .on:e o'f these is 10ioree prosper
o -.under British admiiustration
than it eter was in the . days. of
Germaikin control. -iBut even so,-it is
probable that fetw if ari.l of them
may strictly be eonsi4rd
"economic" .succeses. it is gcuef
ally admitted thit the inmpeii
Govermenn isntco.lSidcL'rbly onut 'o
pocket on. her it d i;mdaed te- :itotie;
and if urtiun ws b?i r pe culiar
genius Tfor.. olon.ial :admiýistratiomn
has failed;' fr auijeconomiC stawd
point, Nazi Ger(imany would have
little cbaicea. of success.. It is very
pr1bable, un fact, -that colonial raw
materials produced by Germany
froL colotics administered by her
self, would cost her more than those
which at present she .has to
purchase from other nations.
The ultimate result of Gerniany's.
claim for the return, of her one
time colonies cannot yet be seen;
but it is reasonably certain that
Britain will firmly insist on Ger
many'sreturn to the peaceful folds
of the League6 of Nations and Lo
carno ?s a tpre.lianunary t.p: iy. seri
nus discussion of the question, when
possibly the Leagul might consider
some redistributtion of its mandates.
The Fueheer's claim that the suc
,-Tss of Nazi policy is shown. by her
industrial activity is a hollow one,
for it is well known that the princi
pal industrial activity in.' Germany
is concerned -with the feverish, out
put. of munitions of wax. The de
claration, indeed,, at a later stage,
virtually admits this, for in an
ounincing the neim four-year pJlan de
signed to mnake Grliany independ
,ent of foreign countries, for all raw
materials which German. chemists,
mines and factories. can produce at
home; it" is stated that these new
industries would absorb. workers
"after re-armament has been con
leted." ,
The resolutioi .to make Germany
so strong that she will. be able to
ward off -any attack front outside.
i' quite pardonable, and perhaps
evev priaiseworthy. If Germany's.
equil right with othei nations to a
reasonable- measuire.:. of. self-defence
had . been. conceded 10 years .ago,. it
is probable that there would have
been no Nazi Party and no Fascist
Germany, and even if it had. been
admitted when. the Nazis first
achieved power, Europe's present'
re-armuament madness might have
been. avoided. As a matter of fact,
nobody is likely to, attack Germany,
and nobody was likely to. have Ct
tacked her even if sle had. not
feverishly re-armed,. but other na-
tions are nt.t altogether free from'
blame for her decision to. re-arn.l
However, if self -defence is the
gedunine reason, for her present -un
precedented military activity, and
if, as stated in the declaration, she I
is prepared to increase or deerase I
he"r military measures .according to'
necessity, there is still hope for
Europe, for the. other Locarno
Powers at the app.roaching -confer
enee- should surely be able to sub
Wnit some reasonable and convincing
plan for mutual seeurity guaran
tees, witholut the necessity for all
the-. nations being anrmed to the I
teeth.- .1
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