Come" deers utierworihe tone acorn ron Cotoxtes-—By LIS. Ashe the material in, this book is more impressive: than the arguments. The question of the supply of raw mate-flats from colonial revourees has be ome. an important factor in. Inter fattonal polities and the appointment a committee of the League Nations to consider the question Ulreetly. duc to the historic. statement nade,' by sit Samuel, Hoare at Geneva In 1095, Mr. Ashton Is more Vigorous than judicious in his argu nents and the therefore exposes. a Very expansive target to the German trite, of indeed to any of the cham. pons) of the so-called. "have no!" ations, If this colonies issue Is to be determined in peaceful manner and the solution made to contribute ac-Lively to the composure of interna ional conflict, the great ced is. for the subject {0 be discussed objective: lyvand without emotional claims for ational superiority in any particular respect. Mr. Ashon Is not happy in his efforts; he makes excessive claims for "the superiority of British. and French methods of colonization "as compared with those of other nation 'And yet he might be reminded the Japanese, for example, been unsuecesfsul in Korea, German East African campaign prov-that the 'Germans were. not. only Sble to organize a satisfactory colonial administration but could pend upon the loyally' and support of clreums of "extreme pressure, the inobitants of their territory.
bbe easy to Imagine could be translat> Man in this book ft would "and elveulated In Germany" In powerful "support. of an aggressive campaign for the return of Germany's colonies." That does not, of course, mean that the basle contention which Mr. Ashton endeavours {o. challenge necessarily untenable. He makes certain play. with the argument that Govmany gambled in the Great War and fast the stake and now wants to Bel IL back when the verdict has yone Against "hor. That. might hold. good it the extreme doctrine of the maine tenance of the status quo were classed with the laws" of the. Medes Germany and the League But there is a stronger objection Mr, Ashton's assertions. If the Longue of Nations, for which Great Britain and other countries slond, means anything, It means a desire to abandon war as_an Instrument of polley and at the same time to create machinery "whereby economic and lal problems amicting various ions throughout the world can be solved' by International ce-operation. Tt may conceivably be right to sup. ort Mr. Ashton in the view that the tion "In. which, Germany finds herself would not be remedied by the return of her colonies. Herr Hitler has maintained that his policy" in that respect Is based entirely on economic grounds, The great achlevement at which the nations should aim is to get Germany to the conference board, and if Mr. Ashton's pre Judgment of the isto Is to find endorsement in Great Britain, for example, there Is every justification for the view that Germany. would not be wollfadvised to depart from her present altitude of negation in regard to the Raw Materials Committee which, properly handled, might be the beginning of @ saner approach to a very dificult' problem. The import-fant thing to remember is that however admirable a colonial administra tion may be, a time must come when excellence alone arouses in the minds of the original inhabitants of the soil a desire {0 share in its bene-Als on terms of equality. It is unlikely, therefore, thal these. adminisrallohs can escape the reaction of outside criticism if a frank now possums fg maintained in the face of all representations. Mr. Ashton not Inaccurately accuses Japan, Italy and Germany in turn of colonial am-Ditions or, in other words, policies of aggression, but it is reasonable {0 be-Heve that in criticizing such an titude it is important to lend a re-captive ear to proposals which might mitigate the necessities alleged by the " principles concerned to justify their policies. Generally Mr. Ashton Is inclined to make over-sweeping statements, and this docs not apaly only to his charge that the Germans are unable to understand the mind of the indigenous inhabitants colonial territories, There have been several outstanding examples which refute that particular point, as. will bbe agreed by anyone who recalls the achievements of Von Lettow and Von Schlee. Nor is Mr. Ashton happier sometimes in. discussing conditions the British Empire, as, for ample, when he declares that 2 mil-Von square miles of Australia con-ain all' the potentialities of the United States, from tropical lands to a temperate climate, and are almost derelict—thus suggesting. that
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.