Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-10
K|NGLEOPOL D'SLOBBY
Alleged Body Maintained in
BeIgiums Interest.
TO PREVENT ACTION HERE
Against Reported Atrocities in the
* Congo Free State.
THE BELGIAN MINISTER
Denies That He Knows Anything Of
the Lobby-Mr. Lodge Calls
for an Inquiry.

The statement that for two years King
Leopold Of Belgium has maintained an ex-
pensive lobby in this city for the purpose
of preventing action by the United States
relative to the atrocities in the Congo Free
State as printed in the New York Ameri-
can, has caused much comment here. The
American says:
1.-The chief Of Leopold's lobbyists is Col.
Henry I. Kowalsky of New York and San
Francisco. Col. Kowalsky has an office at
No. 40 Wall street Up to several years
ago he practiced law in San Francisco, and
he is. at present the counsel for Eugene
Schmitz, mayor of San Francisco, and Abe
Ruef, the Warwick Of the Schmitz admin
istration. both of whom under indict-
ment on charges of graft.
'Kowalsky, according to the agreement
with Leopold, was to receive $4,000 in 3
per cent state bonds of the Belgian gov
eminent If no action was taken by the
United States relative to the Congo situa-
ton during the first session of the fifty
ninth Congress-.
Associated with Kowalsky and men
toned in the agreement drawn up by the
Belgian state department., were Alfred
Nerincx and Henry Wellington Wack. The
compensation which Nerincx and Wack
were to receive for their service is not
stated In the agreement.
James Whitley, who signed himself con-
sui general of the Congo, but whose creden-
tfals authorizing him to act in that capac-
1ty were never presented to the State De-
partment, was also perniciously active
against the Congo memorial all through
the first session of the Fifty-ninth Congress.
Whitley did not hesitate to write letters
to senators and representatives bearing
upon the Congo situation. Some of the re-
cipients of these letters considered the adj
visibility OF suggesting to the State De-
partment the propriety of asking for his
recall, and would have done SO had they
not learned that he had no official stand
Ing"
Instructions to the Lobby.
The American says the copy Of the in
structions under which the lobby was to
work and Of the agreement as to reward
for success Is as follows: .
All of the states agents owe obedience
to the kings envoy, whose advice they must
follow.
Each one Of these agents has his special
mission. Mr.. Nerincx will have to keep up
his relations with and university
circles
BY lectures. meetings and public discus
sions, he must strive to bring the intel
lectual and religious public to a just appre-
citation of the Congo affairs.
HE will also have to give publicity to all
documents which will be regularly posted
to him, with a view to enHghtening public
opinion. -.
Col. Kowalsky's mission is to enliehten
senators and representatives as to the JUS
ttce of our cause and to ward Off the pass
ing Of unfavorable resolutions by them.
He will be careful not to call at the
White House except in case of absolute ne
cessity and not to put forward his title of
legaf adviser to the state but in judicial
questions. He will make no public speeches
except after taking the Belgian minister's
advice.
Mr.. Wack will continue his work in the
press and advocate the states cause in
pamphlets and other publications. Like in
pendence, he will have to act as if he were
not in the states employ. but merely an
Impartial publicist.
THE state wishes Col. Kowalsky to go to
Nigeria. This is an important mission and
its fulfllment by Col. Kowalsky would mean
a serious economy to the state. .f
III the American government does not
make any declaration harmful to the Congo
state, and If Congress passes no unfavor-
able resolution before the end Of next ses-
sion, Col. Kowasky will receive gratihca-
ton of $4,000 in per cent state bonds in
the way Of indemnity for the work he may
have done between October next and the
end Of the following session."
Memorial of the Missionaries.
It was on April 10, 1904, that Senator
Morgan introduced into the Senate the first
memorial Of the missionaries. Senators
committee to consider it. The memorial
also was introduced into the House. Hear
ings were held, but no report was ever
made by the committee. In the early part
of 1906 many members of the clergy and
large number of ,laymen Of Michigan re-
quested Representative DENLY to urge &C
ton by Congress upon the Congo memorial.
In response to their appeal, Mr.. DENLY
wrote letter to Secretary Root informing
the Secretary of the sentiment in his con-
stituency on the Congo atrocities and ask
ing what the United States could do to
ameliorate the complained of conditions.
In his reply to Mr.. DENLY Secretary Root
took the position that interference by this
government in the Congo would be unwar-
ranted. The ground upon which Mr.. Root
based his contention that the United States
ought to take no steps to bring about an
authoritative adjudication of the issues to
which the conditions supposed to exist in
the Congo Free State are related" was that
the United States was not a signatory to
the general act of the Congo, signed at
Berlin, February, 20. 1885, by virtue Of
which King Leopold gained sovereignty over
that vast area Of 100000 square miles, an
as populous as the Philippine Islands.
Mr.. Roots letter to Representative
DENLY was printed as a House document.
More than any other single influence, per-
haps, 1t was responsible for no action being
taken by Congress upon the memorial of
the missionaries asking for intervention.
The American recites a long list of
sionaries.' including the charge that the
soldiers cut off the hands of children to
impress the natives with their power.
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