Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-14
PLEA FOR CONGO TRIBES.
Mission Board Petition Roosevelt and
King Edward.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, January 14.-At
meeting of the conference of the foreign
missions boards Of the United States and
Canada held In this city on Saturday 1t
was unanimously agreed to forward to
President Roosevelt. the United States Sem
ate and King Edward an appeal on behalf
of the stricken people Of the Congo State.
The appeal is follows:
THE conference of the foreign missions
boards of the United States and the Do
minion of Canada would most respectfully
and earnestly bring to you an appeal on
behalf of the stricken people of the Congo
State. We do this in the name of forty mis-
sionary 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 constitu-
ency of upward of 2O,C0O,OOO of Christian
men and women. We are not forgetfu that
recognition has been given by both govern
ments to international duty in relation to
this unhappy people. 1t is a source of keen
satisfaction to us that our governments 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
by while the heavy burden of wrong con-
tinues to rest with crushing weight upon
the Congo people, and we recognize with
profound regret that the first definite step
toward just international action has not yet
been taken.
I'VE speak with deep conviction concern
ing this issue. because we are intimately
associated with many residents Of the Con-
go State by whom the conditions to which
We refer have been disclosed. We are con-
strained to accept their testimony; we know
that the earth does not hold men of more
sensitive honor or more self-Sacrificing de-
votion. But you will not need to be re-
minded that other testimony than ours has
been given to the character and the credi-
bilfty of these witnesses. A commission
lected by King Leopold himself has said of
them and of their fellow missionaries in
the Congo State that they constitute for
the native the sole representatives of equity
and justice. OF their testimony, dreadful
as it has BEEN the commission has declared
that 1t found it to be supported by a multi
tude of witnesses and established by
mass of evidence and official reports.
THE request which We, like the great
company of petitioners of both govern
ments outside our constituency, are urging
is obviously fair to all interests, since 1t
asks only for such impartial action as shall
give authoritative revelation Of actual facts
and insure correction of such wrongs as
shall be disclosed. We submit that the sim
pie issue thus presented involves primary
test of national and international honor
and that longer Withholding of manifesto
ton of this measure of International con-
Germ for these wards of the nations would
leave upon all powers responsible for it
lasting reproach
we would earnestly urge that no device
Of the ruler Of the Congo State, whether of
wholesale aspersiOn of motive or of evasion
OF accountability 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 international re-
sponsbility for immediate ascertainment Of
conditions and correction of wrongs. The
issue, you are well aware, is not of mo-
tive, but Of fact, and the duty of guardian
ship binding the powers to protection of the
people of the territory of the Congo basin
is independent of political relations.
Moreover, we would respectfully urge
our conviction that IL the king is trustee
he cannot transfer his trust except by in
ternational sanction. If the converting of
an international conference was important
in the opening Of the Congo territory. it
would seem that a conference for review
of the issue in all its phases is indispensa-
BILE for wise and just dealing now.
In the name of humanity of nterna-
tional justice, of regard for the primal
rights of man, we would ask that you will
use the full power reposed in governments
by the Supreme Ruler in lie interest of an
immediate discharge by the nations of their
responsibility of guardianship over the rem
nant OF the humble people who a generation
ago, without choice of their own, were
brought out of their isolation into relations
with the world of men and states"