New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-01
CONGO ANNEXATION.
GREAT BRITAIN MAY ACT.
Belgium SAID To Be AzU@ting Fate
of Lodge Resolution.

Washington. Jan 3l.-The information that
the adoption by the Senate Of the Lodge Congo
resolution, assuring the President that in the
event of his deenlIng il wise 10 take part in
an International inquiry into alleged abuses in
the Congo. would in all probability precipitate
the annexation of the Congo Free state. which
was announced exclusively I'm these dispatches
this morning. aroused much interest among Sen
ators and has apparently dissipated all serious
opposition to the resolution itself The publ
cation OF the facts led to-day to the further dis
c'osur" that the opinion IS entertained in tho
British Foreign ONCE that belgium is only
awaiting ;he fate Of the Lodge resolution. and
that II It is adopted Grea, Britain viii take
immediate steps To effect the proposed annex
alton.
Tho fact that the adoption OF rhe resolution
is likely to bring about better conditions in the
Congo without the necessity Of an international
inquiry IS gratifying news to some Senators
who opposed the adoption of the resolution as
likely to lead to internal complications
The statement made in this mornings dispatch
that under the present system in the Congo
natives are required 10 pay as taxes labor TO the
extent of 2G0 days year. is questioned in some
quarters. Testimony for and against this propo-
sition was given before the Committee on For
eign Relations. and one authority NJ Wander
velde. a Socialist member of The Belgian Parlia-
required from each native 2e6 days year. OF
course it VIII be understood that. while the
naive is compelled TO work he also receives
some compensation for his time The Committee
on Foreign Relations appears to have accepted
the statement Of NJ Nanderveldc On the other
hand, the report of the international commits
sion appointed TO inquire into conditions I'm the
Congo. which consisted Of Cheyai!er de Cuvelier
II. Droogmans and Herr Liebrechts in their Off
ciaI report, dated October 81, 1900 describe the
law of November IS 1903 providing that
Every adult native In good health is subject to
prCstatOn. which consists in labor for the state
This work Is to be remunerated: the total amount
cannot exceed during any one month forty hours
of actual labor
This report was also before the Foreign Re-
latlons Committee
There are. of course, many questions similar
10 this which the committee did not attempt to
answer from the evidence in hand, contenting
itself with the conclusion that where there were
so many allegations and charges the situation
warranted an inquiry. Now that there is
prospect Of annexation to Belgium. however
confidence Is expressed that that nation viii
remedy all evils and that no inquiry Will be
necessary.
The equity which Belgium enjoys in the
Congo Is fully appreciated Not only has KING
Leopold advanced many millions OF francs out
Of his privy purse 10 the Development OF the
Congo, but Belgium has advanced many millions
more and ia, authorities on this subject IN the
Senate say that they viii regard not only with
complacency but with qualification the anneXh-
ton Of CongoIand 10 Belgium.