Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-23
PLEADS FOR NATIVES
Charges Against Administration
of the Congo.
KING LEOPOLD ARRAlGNED
Assertions Made by Rev. Herbert S.
Johnson.
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
He Declares That It Establishes Facts
That Brand the Monarch as
Tyrant and Criminal.
KING LEOPOLD ARRAlGNED
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
He Declares That It Establishes Fact

The Rev Herbert S. Johnson of the War
rem Avenue Baptist Church of Boston is at
the New Willard. For the past three
months he has absented himself from his
church to hold mass meetings in the princi-
pal cities of the United States in behalf of
the Congo reform movement. He Is a
member Of the Congo Reform Association.
but holds no office; Is without salary and
travels at his own charges. Being asked
today by Star reporter what was his par
ticular purpose In coming to Washington,
Mr.. Johnson replied:
II am here in order to meet the attempt
of Mr.. James Gustavus Whitley of Baiti-
more and certain Belgians to mislead the
people of Washington as to the terrible
conditions prevailing in the Congo Free
State. The report Of Leopold's own COM
mission of inquiry. consisting of his own
friends, establishes facts that brand that
sovereign as one Of the arch criminals and
fyrants of all history. 1t plainly shows
that the king has deprived the natives OF
the products of their own country, claim
Ing them for the state which is himself:
that he demands in the form of taxes
nearly the whole working time OF the peo-
ple that he exacts their labor by a. system
OF force the very keystones Of which are
the chcotte, which is terrible whip of
hippopotamus hide, and pillage. outrage
and murder"
Mutilation Of Natives.
Being asked whether he had ever said
that the report of the kings commission
declares that six thousand right hands had
been cut or from natives of the Congo
Free State in one district in SIX months. a
statement recently attributed to him by a
new York paper, Mr.. johnson replied:
he
say. however. that reliable missionaries had
made that statement and much that is
worse. II Mr.. Whitley would like to know
the full horrors of the Free State let him
Join with me In challenging King Leopold
70 publish the evidence given before the
commission of inquiry. He has 1t on file
at Brusseis. would like to add concern
ing the mutilations that the kings COM
mission does not deny the charge of mis-
sionaries who have long lived on the Congo
that hands have been taken from thousands
o. natives murdered. to force their fellows
20 prlng IN rubber the purpose of the sever
ca hand being to prove that human life
mas been sacrificed for every cartridge ex-
pended by kings soldier It is in despite
or such horrors that Mr. Whitley and GER
tain Belgians recipients of the courtesies
OF the United States are doing their utmost
to prevent the outflow Of the sympathy of
the people of the country of Washington
and Lincoln to the wretched and helpless
victims Of Leopold's misrule"
Administration Machine Praised.
To the question whether there are not
passages in the report that should lead us
to look with favor on the kings governs
ment Mr.. Johnson made answer:
The commissioners laud highly the mech
anssm Ok the government of the Congo
State: that is to say they praise the instru-
ment with which people Is being crushed.
But how much satisfaction would man
derive from the knowledge that the MUIR
derer of his family had used a knife Of the
finest workmanship In the commission of
the crime? The report instead Of being
practically an exoneratton as Mr.. Whitley
and some Beigians have so extensively
can people that we have unwtttingly been
betrayed into being a party to one OF the
darkest crimes Of history; that through our
original interference in the affairs OF the
Congo Free State we have enabled the
King of Belgium to exploit helpless peo-7
pie for the qualification OF his greed and
lust.
.sThe real character Of the 'exoneration'
with which Leopo1d's commission has pro-:
vided him may be inferred from certain
significant facts The first is that the
governor general Of the Congo Free state.
after q long interview with Leopoid's conn
misaioners as they we're leaving Africa sfor
Europe imuedtafely coananitted suicide: =
second s. Grad Leopold did not publish the
report to the worH Tor eight months after
II had bean suhmitted 70 him; q third =
thAt 20 5ust and prpmauent man ~
Gov Curtis Guild Of Nasasrhueetta upon
reading tie resort fnax 1mNt4t 1eeuoeTtC4
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