Evening star., 1907-07-25
THE CONGO TRANSFER
KING LEOPOLD MUST GIVE UP HIS
PERSONAL GRIP.

BRUSSELS, July 25.-The close of King
Leopold's long struggle to stave of the
annexation of the Congo to Belgium, and
to retain his personal sovereignty over
this rich and extensive African state, is
foreshadowed in the agreement reached
on July l. between the Belgian and the
Congo governments. celebrating the terms
upon which the Congo Free State shall
pass into the possession Of Belgium.
This transfer will mark an important
epoch for the Congo as heretofore the
entire conduct of affairs. civil and mill
tary. has been under the personal direction
of King Leopold and a cabinet of Congo
officers entirely separate from. and inde
pendent Of Belgium, whereas the new
regime will make the Belgian government
instead of the king individually response
BILE for the conduct of Congo affairs.
The British and American governments
have favored placing this governmental
responsibility Belgium as the British
officials have made the point that there
was great difficulty in dealing with the
Congo. in View of its anomalous position
as a personal dependency OF the king.
whereas foreign governments could deal
with 1t through the usual diplomatic chan
nels If the Belgian government assumed
responsibility for its administration.
Expose of Atrocities.
The proposed transfer comes at time
when Maj. Lamairs charges of Congo
atrocities again directing attention to
the past administration. Charges of this
nature have heretofore aroused much
sentiment in Europe and the United States,
and the Congo administration has sought
to meet them in part by the Investigations
Of a commission. the report of which dis
closed many serious abuses. Maj. La
mair now renews the attack with u vehe-
mence and the authoritative status which
gives added effect to his charges
For five months after the Belgian paria-
ment committed itself last December to the
principle of annexation Count Smet de
Naeyer, the premier and a strong persona!
friend of the king. blocked the way. and the
parliamentary commission appointed to in
VeStigate the intriCacieS of the Congo finan-
Clal administration was poweresS to get at
1he facts. Ihe DE TrOoS government as
sumed power in May upon the promise to
push the question. but there is a suspicion
that it had made an agreement with the
king, who was ready at last to yield on the
question of annexation through fear OF the
intervention by outside powers but who. it
is believed. has no intention of permitting
the Belgian parliament. if he can prevent
it. to pry too closely into the Congo admin
istration. The question of the responsible!
ity of the future administration of the Con
so under regime of annexation is to be,
therefore. the real issue.
Treaty of Annexation.
ton itself IS anticipated. 1t is expected
to be similar to the one proposed by Count
Merode when he was premier in 1S9J. The
document simply declared that the sovpr-
eign of the Congo, Leopold II. cede5 his
sovereign rights and all the assets of the
Congo Free State to Belgium. which. in
turn. assumes the liabilities Of the African
state. The real fight will follow upon the
terms of the colonial law.
w hen Belgium was created, in 1890, Bel
gan colonies were not foreseen. and no pro-
vision was made in the constitution for CO.
lonial administration. The Belgian royal
lists conservatives, clercas and a fraction
Of the moderates) want the law to practi-
cally convert the present Congo admnistra-
ton into autonomous government not
responsible to parliament.
The other side liberals and radicals) also
insist that unless the administration Is
parliament there will be no way of correct
ing present abuses and preventing the ex-
potation of the natives for the benefit of
the rubber and ivory companies In other
words. they say the humanitarian reasons
which now exist for annexation would be
defeated and the whole scheme for getting
the Congo out of the clutches of its present
maladminstration might as well b. aban-
dOned.
The Indications are that the whole sub
ject will be threshed out in parliament dur
ing the fail, and that January or February.
1!DS, will see the Congo Free State a colony
of Belgium instead of a personal dep md
ency of Is ing Leopold.