Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-03
LEOPOLD AND REFORM
AMERICAN INVESTMENTS IN
CONGO FREE STATE.
Sermon by Rev. Herbert S. johnson
Yesterday at Church Of
the Covenant.


Reform" was the theme of a sermon
preached by Rev. Herbert .. Johnson of
the Warren Avenue Baptist Church, Boston.
at the Church of the Covenant yesterday
afternoon. He said many persons are of
the opinion that the Congo question has
been satisfactorily settled by the announce
ment that American capital Is invested in
the new concession of that country, but, as
q matter Of fact the brutalities and slavery
and other inhuman conditions will 60 on
just the same.
I'VE can say with assurance" said DR..
johnson. that the presence of the Ameri-
cans in the Congo will not effectually block
all real reform" He called attention to
newspapers which have advocated the idea
that the concession Of commercial opportu-
mites to American capital is a clever move
on the part Of King Leopold to enlist the
powerful influence of the United States
against the reform movement. He said 1t
Is further argued that the prominent Ameri-
lions with the king will bring pressure to
bear upon the government at Washington
for the sake Of the stability of their land
lease. In speaking of this bringing of pres
sure to bear DR.. Johnson said:
Through this pressure It is believed that
Leopold will attempt to use the United
States to prevent the calling Of conven-
ton Of the powers for the adjudication of
vention Is inevitable. that American fnan-
cial interests will attempt to induce our
government to side with Leopold against
the people when the convention is held. At
the worst. the investment of American capi-
tai in the Congo might mean, as affecting
the self-respect OF the people OF the United
States, that the supreme autocrat of Eu-
rope in order to accomplish his personal
ends, had manipulated our republic like a
jumping jack. 1t might mean that he had
seized in his hands the flag of Washington
in order with It to stifle hope for unborn
generations on the Congo"
But Small Concession.
According to DR.. Johnson, only small
portion of the territory of Congo will be
the scene of American activity, and even if
this territory is bettered it will only be
small fraction of the whole country. He
said that, according to the highest esti-
mate which has been made, the American
concession amounts only to 8,500,OOO acres
This territory, he stated, does not con-
stitute one-sevenths Of the whole Congo
Free State. cit is,'' he said. but one
tenth as large as the domain set apart by
the king for his absolutely personal ex-
ploitation. 1t does not bear SO large
proportionate relation to the entire country
as the state Of Texas to the whole of the
United States. Because Of this small sop
which the king has granted to the humani-
ties should we relinquish the campaign for
the reform of the maladministration of
the nearly 100000 SCARE miles of the
Congo basin? Moreover there is
sinister statement in some of the newspa-
pers which detracts from the heartiness of
our hope for reform, even in the new con-
ceSSion
1T is asserted that three Belgians, who
were formerly partners Of Leopold in the
exploitation of the Congo, are to be asso-
ciated with. the Americans in the new part
nership. When we remember the carnival
of murder and cruelty for which these Bel
CLANS are already responsible, together with
Leopold, the fear forces itself upon us that
even In the American concession reform
might prove to be nothing but name
In Certain Contingency.
IF there is to be no action of the powers
to determine the future status of the Congo
Free State what would this investment of
American capital mean at best? Assume
of the country, which is not the fact; as
sumo that they were to go into the new
concession with good intentions toward the
Congolese, then the people would doubtless
escape from some of the worst of the cruel
ties. They would probably receive wage
instead of practically nothing. But there
would be absolutely no guarantee Of their
rights by the powers.
Their treatment would depend entirely
upon the caprice of a private corporation.
the keynote of whose relations to the peo-
pie was personal profit. And we all know
that where SO many millions of money are
invested large dividends would be an iron
necessity. There would always remain the
danger that the present masters, however
kindly, through the inevitable vicissitudes
of change, might at any time be super
seeded by those who would prove to be
cruel. In the end the supreme arbiter of
the destiny of the people would still be the