Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-26
ASK AID FOR CONGO
ROOT URGED TO ACT ON BEHALF
OF UNITED STATES.
Appeal Sent Secretary by DR.. Lyman
Abbott, J. p. Morgan
and Others.

| NE 1Ofh, december Zb-OenOuucinS
as disgrace to civilization the condi-
| tons existing in the Congo Free State, DR..
Lyman Abbott, ]. Pierpont Morgan and
other prominent New York citizens have
| sent to Secretary Root an appeal in which
! he is urged to give to the powers the moral
| support of this government in any meas
| ures looking toward the correction of
abuses in the colony
The communication follows:
over a year has passed since the re-
| port of the commissioners chosen by the
chief executive and virtual owner or the
Congo to investigate conditions in that
state was published. In spite of their
natural desire to give all possible credit
| to their sovereign, the commissioners felt
constrained to report the existence Of
measures and practices of fragrant in
| humanity.
Among these measures and practices are
the following:
1. The exaction of labor tax so OPP
pressive that many laborers on whom 1t
falls have little If any freedom.
20. Appropriation Of land to such an
extent that the natives are practically
prisoners within theer own territory.
"3. The employment under the authority
of the government as sentries of cruel,
british blacks, chosen from hostile tribes,
who murder, pillage and rape the people
IOr whose prOucCIlOn inc government -
ayowedly established
~. The abuse of the natives by white
representatives Of officially recognized
companies.
Bondage of Children.
| '5. The binding Of little children to
years Of labor at uncertain wages by con-
| tracts they do not understand, and even
| more serious maltreatment Of children
supposedly under the immediate care of
| the government.
"6. Great injustice in the administration
Of the courts. so that the natives dread
| the name Of Bona, the place where the
| judicial system Is centralized.
"7. The sending out Of punitive expedi-
tons, not for the purpose of establishing
terrifying natives into paying a tax,
| which, as administered, even the commits
sioners regard as inhuman.
1T is to be remembered that these are
| not charges brought against the Congo
government, but findings of the commits
| sion appointed by the chief executive Of
| the government to investigate and report
on the facts.
No Action is Taken.
Acting upon these findings a second
| commission also appointed by the king,
has recommended measures of reform.
mo steps have been taken to adopt
| them. There lis no evidence that the
| congo government is UNDERTAKING SeTA-
| ousy to remedy these evils. The powers
| which created the Congo government have
| clearly a right to call that government to
| account. 1nasmuch as the United states
gave it's moral support to the establishment
| OF the Congo government, 1t is justified in
| giving it's moral support to any undertaking
| to secure conditions in the Congo that will
| not disgrace civilization.
| I'VE wish to assure you that for any
measures you may adopt in order to give
| the powers such moral support OF the
| United States you will have our earnest
| and urgent approval
| Lyman Abbott, Henry Mottet, MILFORD l..
| Robbins, George William Knox, Charles
| H. Parkhurst, John P. Peters, William r.
Richards, Arson P. Atterbury, Percy S.
| Grant and William J. Schieffelfn, William
| H. Douglas, Charles A. Schieren, Spencer
Trask, George Haven Putnam, Everett P.
| Wheeler, Robert c. Ogden, ]. Pierpont
ting, J. Cleveland Cady and w. ]. Have
| meyer.
The letter of ]. Pierpont Morgan, DR.. Ly-
| man Abbott, and others. addressed to Sec
| rotary Root yesterday, urging him to use
| the moral support of the United States In
| the direction Of correcting the lbuses said
| to exist in the Congo, 1t was stated at the
| department today. would be taken into con-
sideration along with other similar COM
| munications on the same subject.
| Secretary Root, in speaking Of the mat
| ter today, said that the purpose of Belgium
| In annexing the Congo Free State, was to
| be able to deal with the subject In more
| effective way, and that all this country
| could do was to decorously and politely
| urge Belgium to greater activity.