Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-01-14
Foreign Mission Board PromuIgates
PetitiOnAddressed to governments
Of Great Britain and United
States,
INTERNATIONAL HONOR
INVOLVED IN ISSUE
Impartial Investigation Into Actual
Conditions in LeOpoId's African
Domain Demanded in Name oI
Humanity,
Lny MORNING JournaI specIaI Leased VIC. ]


LBy Morning Journal Special Leased Wlre.I
Philadelphia, Jan. 13.--At u confer
ence of the foreign mission board of
the United States and Canada here it
has been unanimously agreed to for
ward to President Roosevelt the
United States senate and King Ed
ward an appeal on behalf of the
Congo Free state. The appeal fol-
lows
"The conference of the foreign mis-
sion boards of the United States and
the dominion of Canada most respect
fully and earnestly bring to you an
appeal on behalf of the stricken peo-
Pile of the Congo Free state. We do
this in the name of forty missionary
organizations whose work is prose-
cuted in all sections of the world, and
we are persuaded that the petition
interprets faithfully the sentiment of
their constituency of upwards of
twenty millions of Christian men and
women. We are not forgetful that
recognition has been given by both
governments to an international duty
1t is a source OF Keen satisfaction to
us tfiat our gbverHnit nts are united IN
leadership I'm a work so closely af-
fecting 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
on the Congo people and we recog-
nize with profound regret that the
first definite step toward just interna-
tional action has not yet been taken.
I'VE speak with deep conviction
concerning this issue, because we are
intimately associated with many resi-
dents of the Congo state by whom the
conditions to which we refer have
been disclosed but you will not need
to be reminded that other testimony
than our own has been given to the
character and the creditability OF
these witnesses. commission Sc
lected by King Leopold himself has
said of them and of their fellow mis-
sionaries in the Congo, that they con-
stitute for the native the sole repre-
sentative of equity and justice. or
their testimony, dreadful as IT has
been, the commission has declared
that they found it well supported by
witnesses and official reports.
THE request which we, like the
great company of petitioners of both
governments outside our constituency
are urging. Is obviously fair to all
Interests, since it asks only for such
impartial action as shall give au-
thoritative revelation of actual facts
and insure correction of such wrongs
as shall be disclosed, We submit that
the simple issue thus presented IN
wolves a primary test of national ana
International honor, and that longer
Withholding of manifestations OF TINS
measure of international concern tor
these wards of the nations, would
leave upon all powers responsible
for it a lasting reproach.
I'VE would earnestly urge that no
device of the ruler of the Congo state,
whether of wholesale aspersion OF
motive or of evasion of accounta-
blity through promotion of transfer
of territory to a government of which
he is himself the head, shall be al
lowed to cloud the issue of interna-
| tional responsibility for immediate
ascertainment of conditions and cor
lrectlon of wrongs. The issue as you
are well aware, is not of motive, but
of fact. and the duty of guardianship
| binding the powers to the protection
of the people of the territory of the
Congo basin is Independent of politi-
cal relations. Moreover, we would
respectfully urge our convention that
Liz the king Is a trustee he cannot
transfer his trust except by interna-
ItionaI sanction. If the convening OF
an international conference was inn
portant in the opening of the Congo
territory It would seem that confer
enee for review OF the issue in all lis
phases is indispensable for wise and
just dealing now.
"In the name of humanity, of inter
national justice. of regard for the
primal rights of man, we would ask
/ that YOU use the full power reposed
in governments by the supreme ruler
in the interest of an immediate dis
charge by the nations Of their respon-
sibility of guardianship over the rem
nant OF the humble people who Q
generation ago. without the choice ei
their own, were brought out Of theil
Isolation into relations with the world
~ man and states -