THE PEACE TERMS AND NATIVE RACES. (To THZ EDTTOR or
THE " SPECTATOR.")
Sia,—We beg to enclose for publication copy of a teller addressed to the Foreign Office upon the very explicit under- taking given by Government in regard to the native races of the late German colonies. During 1917-18 this Society, the Labour Party, Members of Parliament, and several organs of the Precut urged upon the Government the view that the wishes of native tribes capable of collective expression should be taken We account in deciding the future of the late German colonies. The Prime Minister in Glasgow in June, 1917, said " When you come to settle who shall be the future trustees of these uncivilized lands, you must take into account the sentiments of the people themselves.... The wishes, the desire., and the interests of the people of these countries themselves must be the dominant factor* in settling their future govern. ment. This is the principle upon which we are proceeding."
Again, in the Hones of Commons in the following January, Mr. Lloyd George declared :—
" With regard to the German colonies, I have repeatedly declared that they are held at the disposal of a Conferenee, whose decision must have primary regard to the wishes and interests of the native inhabitants of such colonies. None of these territories are inhabited by Europeans. The governing consideration, therefore, in all these cases must be that the inhabitants should be placed under the control of an ad- ministration acceptable to themselves," one of whose main purposes will be to prevent their exploitation for the benefit of European capitalists or Governments. The natives live ie their various tribal organizations under Chiefs and Quoted.. who are competent to consult and speak for their tribes cod members,' and thus to represent their wishes and interests is regard to their disposal. The general principle of national self- determination" is therefore as applicable In their cases as in those of occupied European territories."
This pledge we submit should now he carried out, and LIMh thereby kept with the more advanced and articulate tribes of Africa:
There is no evidence is the Peace Terms that any steps are Wing taken to redeem the above pledges and to secure the application of this equitable principle. This causes us its greater apprehension in that we have good reason to fear. as
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you will see from our letter to the Foreign Office, that pressure is being exercised by a certain Power to force chiefs and tribes to express willingness in advance to come under a given Mandatory, and thereby to forestall any action by the Peace Conference or League of Nations. But the chiefs and tribes in question have a firm desire to come under another Mandatory, and up to the present have refused to be intimidated.—We are,
Sir, &c., TRAVERS BUXTON, Secretary.
Joni H. HARRIS, Organizing Secretary. Tae Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society, Denison Rouse, 196 Vauxhall Bridge Road, S.W. I.
" April 9th, 1919.
To Tan SECRETARY OP STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Foreign Office, 8.W. L Sia,—Our Committee begs leave to approach you upon a matter of urgent and exceptional importance—namely, the very clear and repeated undertakings given by Hie Majesty's Government that wherever possible the wishes of the native inhabitants of the late German colonies would be regarded as a dominant factor and that they would be consulted as to the political future of their countries. The members of our Society, a large section of the public, and more advanced native tribes have relied upon this pledge of honour, and we beg to ask what steps are being taken to give effect to inch policy. The twitter is the more urgent because we are credibly informed that pres- sure is being put upon certain tribes to declare for a particular Mandatory, but that up to the present the Chiefs and Councils have stoutly refused, and are demanding to oome under the protection of another Mandatory. Our Committee cannot doubt that His Majesty's Government is well informed upon the local situation, and will readily agree that the tribes and their rulers in question are quite eonmetent to express the wishes of their people, and the fact that they are taking so firm a stand against the pressure being put upon them is eloquent of their determination in the matter. We beg to ask for an assurance that no division of territory under Mandatory responsibility will take place until effect has been given to the above pledges.—We are, Sir, Your obedient Servants, TRAVERS BUXTON, Secretary.
Joan H. HAWS, Organizing Secretary."
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