-2- million people and growing. What Is to happen to her? She needs to be fed. Her position is unique among great States. She need not be concerned with the little States all of whom can practically feed themselves. Consider, however, the position. All great States except Germany can feed themselves. U.S.A. Russia France with her colonies, Great Britain with the Empire. Germany alone is closely confined to a narrow space and deprived of a sea position. She needs Colonies: What colonies? It Is natural to answer her former colonies, though she would not insist upon these If she were given equivalents elsewhere. All countries should contribute. Roosevelt might take the lead in calling for a contribution to the solution of Germany's economic problems to which many countries would contribute. He would contribute under the head of war debts. This was not a small matter. It was a vital matter. The peace of the world was involved In finding a solution and if the nations knew that by these relatively important concessions they would assure peace they would readily pay the price. People objected on grounds of strategy. On the contrary Germany's colonies would be so many hostages to fortune, particularly in view of the Anglo-German naval Treaty. Besides, Schacht would undertake to accept the most binding restrictions. They would not insist upon sovereignty provided Germany would be in charge of economic arrangements. Schacht thought if refusal was persisted in, Hitler would come to the view and might state publicly, namely that "He, Hitler, had again and again attempted to arrive at a peaceful settlement with England, had again and again offered a peaceful solution of the colonial question. This had been refused. He would then add that the responsibility for maintaining peace was no longer his," Schacht proceeded to allude to Amery's advice to Germany - you can't have colonies, but Eastern Europe lies before you. |