Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-02
ABUSES IN THE CONGO
An Investigation Will Be
Urged on Congress.
TORTURE OF NATIVES
OBJECT OF ORGANIZATION OF THE
COUNTRY.
Alleged Results Of the Belgian Admin
TORTURE OF NATIVES
Alleged Results of the Belgian Admin
istration Of the Governmental
Heart-Rending Story.

ASoA S-AAOA0AA6 SbOAys
In the next session Of Congress propo-
sition for American interference In the
Free Congo State will be agitated.
In the last days of the session which
closed in April, Senator Morgan presented
| to the Senate memorial of the chair
man and members OF the conference Of
missionary societies, representatives Of
American organizations conducting mis-
'sionary and philanthropic work In the in
| dependent state of the Congo praying that
Congress investigate existing conditions in
| the Congo State. and take steps to
| ameliorate and correct the evils from which
| that state is suffering.
| This memorial and accompanying cor
| respondence of missionaries covers 1876
pages of printed matter. 1t is now being
| widely circulated throughout the country,
| and there is determination on the part
| OF men representing missionary interests In
| favor of bringing such influence to bear on
Congress next winter as to insure this mat
ter receiving the attention of the national
! legisla ture
Congo State Organization.
You will recall that the government
known as the Independent State of the
SollSO HSS unique III ItS Oi-slu, the Hnc-
mortal states. 1T came into being by act
of an assembly representing all the nations
of the western world In the original move
ment looking toward the creation of this
government. Leopold, the King of Belgium,
bore a leading part, and invited the assem-
blage of tine conference at Berlin in 1885.
A company OF gcographers, travellers and
philantErcpists representing a number of
European countries, Lad been called to-
gether by him in September. 1876. By this
conference an organization known as the
International African Association was con-
stituted. few years later a society was
organized for II purpoS, described by one of
It's members as that of studying what
might be made CT the Congo river end its
BASIN This society, including at first rep
| resentatIvcs of several European countries
or prominence in the commercial and none
| tary world, soon came almost exclusively
under Belgian control. Having the same
officers with the original International As
Gociatlol, It soon practically superseded
that organization and. though In no true
sense International, 1t remained itself the
International Association of tie Congo.
Tho enterprise of King Leopold found
favor because it was supposed to represent
two noble ideals-a generous philanthropy
and impartial freedom of commerce for all
the world. The announcement made by
promoters of the enterprise was definite
and reiterated. The proposed state was not
to exist for exploitation of the resources of
the country with view to gain to accrue
tc those establishing It, it was to exist for
the benefit of the native people. Indeed, at
one stage the secretary of the association
had writtn declaring that the movement
had in c. interpolation the establishment of
a republican confederation of free negroes,
the king simply rcserving the right to name
the president of the confederation
The Alleged Abuses.
The memorial recites catalogue of
wrongs that arc alleged to exist in the Free
Congo State, which will be urged on Con-
gress as a reason to interfere in the affairs
of that state, as follows:
1.-The fact to which our information con-
corning conditions In the Independent State
Of the Congo makes 1t our painful duty to
ask your attention is that the anticipated
realization of these humane liberal and
just ideals has not been reached by the
government of the Congo State, but has
been and is now directly thwarted by the
methods of administration which the gov
eminent has adopted. Fidelity to the facts
known to us compels the statement that
the country today, throughout great sec
tons, is suffering from grievous oppres-
sion characterized by well-nigh incredible
abuses of the people
A Heart Rending Story.
1.-The story of personal sufferings is a
heart-rending one Among the wrongs al
legged in the documents accompanying our
memorial are forced labor: the forced con-
tribution of foodstuffs and other supplies
for the state stations and the stations of
monopolst companies licensed by the state
and for the 30, 600 men of the regular and
irregular militia; forced military service
under conditions unjust alike to the soldiers
and the people; direct imposts dependent
upon the arbitrary will of subordinate off,
Gals or commanders of detachments of the
militia, and the exactions throughout the
rubber-producing districts of a heavy toll
Of sC yof all DC NIT nj to
the consent or desire and with slight re-
gard to the ability Of the people. The re-
quirements become more and more burden
some as the population diminishes and the
supplies obtainable in the territories adj
Joining native villages are exhausted In
many instances the people are required to
make contributions to the state of articles
which they do not possess and Which they
must purchase at a cost greatly in excess
of the price allowed them for supplying ii.
Remuneration for the contributions made
Is slight. The right to remuneration, in
deed, has been denied. An exponent of the
policy of the kings government declared
in the Belgian parliament that whatever
remuneration is given is gratuity.
TT is-so the testimony presented by us
indicates-in connection with the enforce
ment of these demands made by the state
upon the people that the cruelties by which
the land Is scourged have developed. The
native is driven to his task by a remorse-
less physical compulsion. For evasion OF
the task, or for failure to perform IT to the
full on account of whatever inability, pun
fshments of most shocking character are
appointed They include the seizure of wo-
men, who, chained neck to neck. are forced
away from their homes and held as So
called hostages; the burning Of villages;
the indiscriminate slaughter of the people,
pursued and hunted in the forests to which
they fee; the mutilation of the living and
the dead.
Dreadful Catalogue of Alleged Evils.
ssIIo t. 1a1 10 Sv, droo Il f,,1
catalogue of reported wrongs 1t would be
difficult to name form of atrocity belong
ing to any history of shameless conquest or
of primitive savagery which fails to find
place in this record. The impressing of
recruits for the army and for the forces of
laborers is accomplished by use of the
methods made familiar by the slave raids