The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-07-11

AtNon was Ine SaIuaIlON& last, Au-
gust Since that time swift de-
1 Velopment has taken place, ingwhich
events In the United States have
hgared most conspicuously.
Congo Concessions to Americans.
| : reward the close Of, October. ru-
mors arose. and on November 18th
dehnite announcement was made i'm
the American press to the! effect that
Leopold had granted to q syndicate
led by American -financiers' an i'm
'mense concession of Congo territory,
with monopolistic rights to exploit
the area Tor rubber, timber and
minerals and with full power Of
control over the natives. Immedia-
'tely. this injection of American ma
terlal interests had the effect of
widening and fntensifying public In
terest In the Congo situation as a
whole, by appearing to bring it near
er home. The press, which had hith-
erto manifested no more than an
intermittent and Law concern with
conditions in the Free State, forth
with gave increasing space to their
expectation materiallzed, and on No
| Nember 20th debate was opened
which continued, with intermissions
TOT nine days, through December
l4th, concluding then with a vote
that committee should Immediately
make preliminary examination of
the accounts of the Free State, and
or the already drafted Belgium Col
onlal Law, with view to an early
report on the advisability of Belgium
annexation OF the Congo and the
terms under which the transfer
should take place.
| 1T is very difficult to define the
true significance of this vote of the
Belgian House, and to predict it's
results. Nominally, lit constituted
a, defeat of Leopold and his party,
, who had made it known that they
were opposed to annexation at this
| time and had taken this stand at
the opening of the debate but who
had weakened at it's close. How
ever, there is good reason for the be-
lief that Leopold really gave a veil
ed sanction to the vote, seeing
, through it an opportunity for furth-
| er delay and evasion at a juncture>
when an accounting to the nations
seemed inevitable. The gradual
| weakening of the kings party in the
House, through the course Of the
Edebate, had an appearance Of inten-
ton and insincerity about it, and the
fact that the final vote was passed
by tremendous majority, incIud-
ing not only the kings opponents but
his friends, immediately after the
introduction Of Senator Lodges re-
| solution and the exchange of COM
munications between the United
States Government and the British
Government, raises suspicion. This
suspicion develops into a reasonable
belief when one of the most estim-
able of the Belgium deputies, M.
Vandervefde, definitely accuses the
| king OF manoeuvering to gain time.
However, putting aside the ques-
ttan,, of whether this vote was de-
signed~to secure delay for Leopold,
it has any rate had the effect. Earl
Grey, the British foreign secretary,
announced on December goth that
now the government, from considera-
tons. Of international courtesy,
should await BelgiuuA's definite dec
laration Of policy. Our own govern
ment made a somewhat similar an
nouncement. So that for the inter
national action which seemed immi-
nent was substituted a long delay
which has dragged on for nearly four
months
} The Crisis.
! But though this delay has post
poned international action for a time
}1t is likely to make it's early adopt
tion. more certain than - before, by
demonstrating it's necessity Herein
mas the Congo situation reached its
| CRISIS; the Belgium parliament nego-
tlau0ns have shown that, on the one
band.- Leopold will not genuinely
surrender his control of the Congo
except under International pressure,
and that, on the other hand, the re-
form party in Belgium is not strong
enough to break the Congo regime
without International assistance. The
s1ttings Of the committee Of the Bel
gian house, instructed to make an
examination OF the accounts Of the
tree state, have been rendered unsat-
1sfactory by the refusal Of the Congo
! government to submit the documents
most vitality needed, and by the un-
compromising attitude Leopold has
e&hlblted. The genuine reform men,
bers Of committee were at one time
on the point Of resigning, so fruitless
seemed to them further negotiations
Now, after the kings ministers have
against his wishes made a few minor
concessions to this reform element
Tor the committee, 1t is announced
that Leopold may dismiss them and
FORM new cabinet still more subser.
went TO him. Moreover the terms Of
the colonial. law which is being con-
s1dered rs applicable to the free state
are such as to leave the administra-
tion still in Leopold's hands, without
effective machinery for parliament
fary control Indeed, there would be
even less opportunity for such con-
troll than at PRESENT., for the colonial
law provides that Congo affairs shall
be discussed in parliament only once
each year. At present. the govern
ment can be "interpel1ated," at least
ri,