The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-09
WHITE MANS BURDEN IS HEAYY
mar EUROPE ~ TROUBLE OVER
BLACK SUBJECT PEOPLES.
belgian Parliament Not Likely TO Make
Real Congo RefOrms-Strain OF Anglo
French AIIlance-PrOblems In Morocco
n Trsnsvaal German Scandal.

SfcfiH Cu1tG DeHD UCb 70 HE sun
n Dec S.-The question Of the re-
lations between the white race and men Of
other color is Of pretty nearly worldwide
agitation az the pres mt moment 1t occu-
NEE the public mind in England, Germany.
Belgium. France and Spain and Is problems
are absorbing the attention of the Govern
ments Of those countries, The Congo
question has passed from the stage Of sentl-
mental discussion into a serious international
issue 1t seems probable that despite the
-cathing condemnation of King Leopold
m the Belgian Parliament such genuine
reforms will not be voluntarily adopted
a. will lead Great Britain to abandon her
declared intention to intervene in behalf
II the natives. Then We shall see the first
-rrious test Of the Angro-French entente.
IL happens that in all previous interna-
tonal attempts to deal with the Congo
question France has supported Germany.
there is Ettle doubt that Germany will con-
tuue to oppose any interference by the
Powers. The British policy Of some form
ii Intervention has been only vaguely
mentioned Y Sir Edward Grey. the Foreign
Minister. but the French attitude on the
auesti On mas not yet been indicated. If the
Clemenceau Government reverses the
~ Bco tlNh oNN oNHRofSp AOo -
then for the first time the world will realize
the momentous and far reaching importance
~ that recent regrouping Of the Powers
which has changed the direction OF modern
political history.
France and Soain are on the eve Of the
execution of their mandate to re luce the
turbulent Moors to order and there is every
indication hat their task is more formid-
,l1o shan tho Aolnnafaz - tha AIOantraa
conference expected. Rough work APP
Iroaching war on a small scale seems
probable. Germany watches with jealous
eye, but apparently she has no intention
Of making the task more dic.cult by real
OF threatened interference.
Germany, indeed, has a race scandal
ot her own of the blacklist description.
No story Of the Congo or of Russian ante
bellum atrocities in Manchuria an COM
pare ia horror with that told in the Reichs-
tag this week by Herr Bebel, the Socialist
leader. He described the determination
Of whole villages in South Africa by German
troops, who msssacred adults and then
drowned the children in the river. The
most that the government could say in
reply Was that there had been buses
but that the worst reports had been ex-
sggerated.
The whole race question throughout
Africa has become one Of appalling serious
ness. Europe is determined TO rule that
continent, and the great problem Of the
treatment OF the native races must be
speedily settled. The Spectator to-day
truthfully says that there il positive dam
ger lest the whole native population Of
Africa should become penetrated with a
dread and hatred of white men," The
article goes on:
Il. IS reported from many quarters hat
this feeling il already betTaying itself
Throughout the vast dominion OF the Congo
Free State, and il may easily spread south
ward and nOrthwarl til h entire con-
tinent Of Africa is filed with n hostility to
Europe resembling that which $40 years
ago undermined the Gscendency OF the
triumphant Spanish monarchy.
There is a comfy of the blacks as there
is Of the white world, and while the black
is prepared to he governed by his white
superior with a certain absolutisn,, he will
not bear that unreasonable cruelty which
Keeps him in that perpetual terror as we'll
as. a kind Of bewilderment as to what is
required of him, which tempts inferior
races 10 believe that only in Massacre can
they ma uellverdnCe.
"The white men in Africa can never be
irresistible from their numbers, and tho
popular European belief that the blacks
can never combine, and can therefore
never make an insurrection successfully, is
but partially supported by evidence. A
Bantu tribe snnihilated a British regiment,
and there nave been black generals devel-
oped from the people who founded king
doms and made effective armies. Europe
desires to rule Africa, and intends 70 do it,
hut she has sufficient perception OF her
own interest not TO wish TO do II by in
cessant fighting OF through a system like
that which is gradually extirpating the
black races in the vast system OF valleys
which we call the Congro State. However
stern the o%onquerors are in enforcing their
own superior civilization, they must be
seen to wish for substantial justice, how
ever harsh, and must avoid a cruelty which
suggests 20 their victims that they are in
the hands rather Of evil demons than of
able fighting men.
we must add, though we are unwilling
no enter upon that side of the subject, that
peaceful security will never be attained
until the invaders have learned what We
sarly learned in India-to let the women
alone Negressee OF South and Central
Africa are not English ladies', but they
care for their children, and il some Of the
stories In the German Parliament are true,
here may be hatred and dread Of white
men handed down through the villages
rom generation 20 generation. We Euro
peans won't rule Africa il Mussulman mis-
-iona ries, who are already thousands in
number, can say with truth that where the
Christian is there is a hab.tation Of cruelty
The British Government finds itself faced
With a difficulty in the Transvaal similar
70 that which confronts President Roose-
welt in CALIFORNIA; a~nti-Japanese action.
The inhabitants OF the Transvaal resent
the composition OF natives of India who
have emigrated to hat country. They have
s~udeavored 10 discriminate against them
by imposing serious disabilities in what is
known as the Asiatic law amendment Ordi-
canoe. The victims appealed to the nome
Government, which has vetoed the act.