Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-14
MAKE APPEAL
FOR Con 60
SUFFERE RS
MisSionaryBo BoardAs
Rulers to Act
Petition Is Forwarded to King Edward
and President Roosevelt, Con.
demnine Delay and Asking
Prompt Relief
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 13.-At a con-
ference of the foreign mission boards Of
the United States and Canada here it
has been unanimously agreed to for
ward to President Roosevelt, the United
States and King Edward an appeal on
behalf of the Congo Free State. The
appeal follows:
THE conference of the foreign mis-
sion boards of the United States and the
Dominion of Canada most respectively
and earnestly bring to you an appeal in
behalf of the stricken people of the
Congo Free State. We do this in the
name of the forty missionary organiza-
tions whose work is prosecuted in all
sections of the world, and we are per-
suaded that the petition interprets faith :
fully the sentiment of their constituency
Of upward of twenty millions of Chris
tian men and women.
I'VE are not forgetful that recogni-
ton has been given by both govern
ments to international duty in relation
W llilo unhappy pCoBiC. IL 10 q oOuiN NS VI
keen satisfaction to us that our govern
ments are united in leadership in a work
so closely affecting international honor.
But we are reminded by the recurrence
of our annual meeting that weeks and
months are passing while the heavy
burden of wrong continues to rest upon
the Congo people, and we recognize with
profound regret that the first definite
or rl i,ICt International 1Nt Inn
has not yet been taken.
Atrocities Are Admitted
1--WE speak with deep conviction con-
corning this issue, because we are inti-
mately associated with many residents
of the Congo Free State by whom the
conditions to which we refer have been
disclosed. But you will not need to be
reminded that other testimony than
ours has been given to the character
and creditability of these witnesses. A
commission selected by King Leopold
himself has said of them and of their
fellow missionaries in the Congo that
they constitute for the native the sole
representative of equality and justice.
OF their testimony, dreadful as it has
been, the commission has declared that
they found it well supported by wit
nesses and official representatives.
1.-The request which we, like the great
company of petitioners of both govern
ments outside our constituency are urg-
ing, is obviously fair to all interests,
since it asks only for such impartial
action as shall give authoritative rela-
ton of all facts and secure correction Of
such wrongs as shall be disclosed. We
submit that the simple issue thus pre-
sented involves a primary test Of ma
tional and international honor, and that
the longer withholding of this manifes-
tation of International concern for these
wards of the nations would leave upon
powers responsible for 1t lasting re-
proach.
I'VE would earnestly urge that no de-
vice of the ruler of the Congo State,
whether of wholesale aspersion of mo-
tive or Of evasion as accountability
through promotion of transfer of terri
tory to a government of which he Is
himself the head, shall be allowed to
cloud the issue of international respon-
sibility for immediate ascertainment of
conditions and corresction of wrongs.
Issue Is Plain One
"The issue, as you are well aware is
not of motive but of fact, and the duty
of guardianship binding the powers to
protection of the people of the territory
of the Congo basin is independent of
political relations. Moreover we would
urge our conviction that if
the king is a trustee he cannot transfer
his trust except by International sane
ton. If the convening of an interna-
tional conference was important in the
opening Of the Congo territory it would
seem that a conference for review of the
issue in all it's phases is indispensable
for wise and just dealing now.
I'm the name of humanity, of interna-
tional justice, of regard for the primal
rights of man, we ask that you use the
full power reposed in governments by
the supreme ruler in the interest of an
immediate discharge by the nations of
their responsibility of guardianship over
the remnant of the humble people who
a generation ago, without choice of
their own, were brought out of their
isolation into relations with the world