At this point, in a scene of great confusion, Herr
Babel was called to order, but he insisted on concluding his speech, ending with the terrible indictment : "It is not for the sake of civilisation that our colonial policy is conducted, but in order to satisfy the lust of power of the governing classes." Dr. Arendt thereupon rose to defend his action in the Peters ease, and the Foreign Secretary made an official explanation. The debate was resumed on Monday, when Dr. Peters's already tattered reputation was subjected to further rending, and Herr Dernburg declared that Herr Hellwig's resignation had nothing to do with that case. Another Clerical leader, Herr Roren, shifted the matter of discussion to West Africa, and dealt with the atrocities of certain officials in Togoland. It is one of the most horrible stories we have ever read, and produced a powerful effect upon the House. Herr Dernburg, who seems to have been taken by surprise, had no explana- tion to offer, and the debate terminated with an angry wrangle between him and the former speaker. We have no desire to play the part of Pharisee, for all colonising Powers have dark places in their records ; but we would point out that it is impossible in Germany's case to erect any effective safeguards against abuses, since her bureaucratic colonial rule is not adequately supervised by the Reichstag. A distrust of popular criticism always ends in scandals.
