The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-07-11
the Congo situation today.
~ Great Britainaa TA ns.ifior

"A still more Immediate question
! ils--whtoh nation willy take the first
step toward intervention? Great
Britain has been relied upon to as
sumo this responsibility, as a logical
consequence OF the pressure she has
already brought to bear upon Leo
pold, But Great Britain is very
severely embarrassed in this case by
the charge, however unjustly made,
OF African territory, and that this
is her real reason for desiring to
overthrow the present Congo regime.
such motive having been insinuat-
cd, Great Britain liz forced to move
IImost guardedly at R%tfina and In a,
way calculated to allay SUSPICION, for
| she recognizes that precipitate
lStep~ would not only meet with no
friendly response from the other
powers. but might even stir up
nasty European broil. Such .consid-
erat1ons doubtless influenced Earl
Grey the BRITISH ForsignE Secretary
when IN reply toEHu 1HnueuttHf dete=
cation which visited him on Novem-
Der goth to urge. action on the Con
go issue, he said that Great Britain
should give Belgium the fullest on
portunity to-. deAl with the CONGO
question, and should therefore de-
lay action for a time. The
Same considerations !, led him
after the vote Of the Belgian
House a, already described, to-
state-in the-aommons that now
certainly the British government
could take no further steps until Bel
GUM had made her Intentions fully
evident. He has indeed stated since,
III reply to a Question in 1.-The COM
mons on February/19t 9th. that Great
Britain would acquiesce to Belgian
annexation OF the congo only as such
annexation shodld conform to Athe
terms of the Berlin act, This state
ment removed the fear that Great
Britain would allow a~shanl ,annexa.
ION to/be put through, but 1t has not
brought the Congo question any
nearer to practical solution. And
fne pity Of it all is that while these
CONSIDERATIONS of, international
discussion. With respect to the Sig
nlncance Of leopolPs concession to
tAmerlcans, there appeared a differ
ence OF opinion. Certain reports.
based on rumors abroad in Belgium
held that the concession was a .cle-
| Wer device on the part OF sLeopold To
prejudice strong American CONNER
flal interests In favor. of the exist
ing' congo regime, and thus effec-
lively to block any .-intewentionary
action ny the United States govern
ment. Other reports argued against
| such possibility, contending that
American capitalists would not for
moment be hoodwinked by any
such device. Regarding the effects
OF the American gnvestment, the
prevalent opinion was that it was
| qulValent to the institution of re-
forms and meant salvation for the
Congo natives. This opinion was
based on hasty impression that the
concession included the greater part
OF the State, and that therefore the
Americans could introduce humane
! methods throughout Leopold's Con-
go dominions. AS matter Of fact
the concession includes at the high
est estimate, less than ope-seven-
tletn or the State, and SO any regime
instituted, In 1t will have but a ,very
limited scope. But the vital point
/ is that, even If the concession were
coextensive with the State, the trans
Ter would only aggravate the mon
| strosfty of the situation by concedink
Leopold's conception Of the land and
natives as his property. to be dis
posed or at pleasure. The ATTEMPT
to destroy this conception, and to
restore the natives the the status of
Tree men, is the basis ofaSfhe Congo
Reform Movement. However, the
prediction Of an American capitals
tic millennium was balanced by
counter predictions that the Ameria
cans would find 1t to their interest
to preserve the existing regime,
would block action by our govern
,ment SO far as possible, and that
| fhpTpfOrn
action would be to strengthen Leo
pold's hands. -.
l. 1t Is still impossible to say with
assurance what the ultimate effect
of this placing Of American CAPITAL
in the Congo will be, but certainly
the immediate and general effect has
been to widen and deepen public in
terest in the Congo Reform Move
! ably to 1.-THE Congo Reform Move
ment.1 This Movement has progress
ed vigorously. Through the sum-
mer requests had been coming into
the Congo Reform Association from
many quarters for information and
| for speakers to, present the facts in
public meetings. The Association has
sought as best it could to satisfy
these demands. Two men, pioneers
IN the Movement, gave all their time
TO pubic addresses, and many others
spoke In their vicinity as occasion
allowed them. Most Of the import
ant conventions which met. in the
autumn gave the Congo cause a. place
on their program, and adopted re-
solutions. Special meetings were
held throughout the country. In
New York City, particularly, from
November to February, several hun
dred meetings we're held, as result
Of which tremendous pressure from
very influential quarters was exert
| ed upon our government. The issue