Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/114

84 keep him for my own use, and see that he invested in my “cocoanut plantations.”

I admired and sympathised with their far-seeing, most natural, and patriotic aims—the most clever and far-seeing of all was a lady and my good friend; but it was entirely their own business. Of course they would not listen to the lady—German women should sit down at home, wash the babies, and look after the kitchen and such things—Empire-building is not in their line.

Now it is all another tale. The German people are awake, and a simple little telegram of a few words did it all. A telegram roused a mighty race into fiercely patriotic activity, into jealous rage against a neighbour who scorned them, and into a strong determination to checkmate and browbeat that neighbour whenever and wherever possible. They lost control of themselves, gave themselves away hopelessly, and because they were not justified, because that neighbour was not humbled and cast down into the dust, there rose and spread amongst the whole Germanic Race a determination to get even with the proud Islanders by every means in their power. If colonies were good for nothing else, at least they would be useful as spots from which to irritate and pin-prick the rival.

In far lands under another flag dwelt many Germans, peaceable, contented, respected subjects of that flag; forgetting their Homeland, or born under other skies, growing up in freedom and independence, scorning the tales told by the old of the heavy military and petty police tyranny of their German days; but then came that telegram—the people around remembered these were Germans; made them play “God save the Queen” from morning to night! This last roused them to say, “After all we are Germans; why should