Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-30
ALLEGED HRANNlEs
Discussion of Congo Free State
Conditions.
REV. n. S. JOHNSON'S VIEWS
Boston Clergyman Takes Issue With
Belgian Agent.
INQUIRY CONFESSIONS REPORT
Address Made Before the Hungry
Club at Y. II. G. A. Build
ing This Afternoon.
INQUIRY CONFESSIONS REPORT

BY req,iest the Rev. Herbert s. Johnson OF
Boston addressed the Hungry Club al
the I'm C. A. building this afternoon upon
the subject. THE Truth About the Congo
Free State" He said there Is more uncer-
tainty In Washington than elsewhere as to
the terrible tyranpies of Leopolds govern
ment. because the people have been misled
by friends of the king. In sur port of this
charge that the champions OF Leopold are
not candid In their denial OF abuses of the
gravest character IN the Congo state Mr..
Johnson made the following declarations:
Mr.. Whitley and the Belgians who have
discussed the report OF the commission of
inquiry, have always shown a pronounced
unwillingness to face the main facts estab-
lfshed by the report. The first is that the
king. who posed before the United States
twenty years ago as the promised philan-
thropist of the Congo Free State. has proved
an absolute traitor. In spite of the solemn
pledges that he would rule solely for the
sake of the moral and material regenera-
ton of the natives" and that he would not
trade there directly nor. indirectly, the re-
port makes it plain that Leopold has de-
prdved the Congo people Of virtually their
entire country.
''The second fact established by the re-
port Is that the king. in spite OF the farce OF
pie practically the whole of their time;
namely, about 2S8 days out of each year.
The third fact Is that the king EFFORTS the
unwilling labor OF the victims OF his tyranny
Issues Challenge.
II challenge Mr.. Whitley to say to the
American people that the report does not
establish these facts II he denies it, then
1 appeal to the report itself. II he ignores
the challenge, then silence gives consent.
The facts being such, will the American
lovers OF liberty permit the greedy king.
whose private life is stencil in the nostrlls
of the world. to practice a system of SOW
ereignty which in Its very nature means the
crushing of the natives?
That Mr.. Whitley is seeking to mislead
the people of Washington Is made apparent
by his recently published invitation to
them to read the translation of the report
of the commission of inquiry issued by
Putnam's Sons. This document, which is
copyrighted by James H. Gore a professor
in George Washington University. accord
ing to the statement on its first page is a
complete and accurate translation Yet
1t contains more than eighty inaccuracies,
all of them tending TO soften the transla
ton from the severity of the French orig
inal
Some of these Inaccuracies reverse or
change the sense in statements of vital i'm
portance. 1t is a significant fact that all
the inaccuracies are on the side of the
king. SO far I. know, there Is not one
Of the whole translation which Is favorable
to the helpless people. If Mr.. Whitley is
candid in his statements concerning the
Congo. let him explain why he Endorses a
book which contains the following: Up. 49,
Prof. Cores book) Certain facts of this
sort which demanded prompt repression
were reported to the local authorities. who.
with the assistance thus given, fixed the
personal responsibility and brought to trial
those who were culpable.
Commission Made No Such Statement.
This mistranslation certainly bears out
Mr.. Whitely's contention. that the king
will SO reform the abuse of his government,
with It's consequence, that the people of
the United States need not trouble them
selves any further in the matter. But I'M
fortunately the commission of inquiry did
not make any such statement. What 1t
did say was this: Certain facts of this
sort, which demanded prompt repression.
were reported to the local authorities. II
will now zen suite) be the Office of the
competent authorities to inquire with the
help of its findings into the personal re-
sponsiblities and to bring to trial, II the
opportunity presents itself those who are
culpable.' Is Mr.. Whitley pleased with
this book because 1t thus fiagrantly tends
to mislead the people of the United States
as to whether the grave abuses of the
Congo state are being corrected?
Upon this question of the reformation
reputable newspapers have very recently
published dispatch from Brussels to the
effect that King Leopold has absolutely re-
iected the proposals of the reform COM
mission The Congo Reform Association
has received a similar cablegram from
reliable source. Against these dispatches
we have merely the statement of Mr..
Whitley that he also has received a cable
gram which announces that the king has
not rejected the recommendations, but that
he Is engaged In studying them. He has
been studying them long while, some
what more than q year. He has done moth
ing else according to the missionaries. And
yet the commission of inquiry declared the
urgent need Of immediate reformations
Is the King SincereP
Should we think that the king, who has
known of these fragrant atrocities for many
years and yet has done nothing but take
the bloody gold that has been produced
by them, Is sincere in his present promises?
Or is 1t more reasonable to think that he
Is simply temporizing. in the hope that
the present public interest will soon be
forgotten that the kings preposterous
claims of private ownership of the whole
country and the right to force the labor
of the people for his private gain will
render ell reforms by the king himself a
ridiculous farce. Nothing but the complete
humiliation of the kings preposterous
claims can secure the salvation and the
remain the principal point of consideration
IN all discussions of reform"
Will Filed for Probate.
The will of Mary Newbold Gunneli. dated