Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-31
THE CONGO ATROCITIES.

The interest manifested in this coun-
try about the state of affairs IN the
Congo Free State is an evidence OF
a popular desire to see injustice curbed
and the curse of oppression removed
from a. State that was created with the
consent of this Republic, and for the
welfare Of which we therefore are, TO
zone extent, responsible.
The resolution introduced in the Unit
ed states Senate by Senator Lodge ex-
presses the opinion that he time Is ripe
for an international inquiry into the
affairs of the Free State, and pledges
it's support TO the President lin any
stems that he may deem 1t wise 10 take
in this direction, in cooperation WITH
or in aid OF any OF the powers sigma
tory TO the treaty of Berlin which shall
seek to amelorate conditions in the
Congo.
This Is a broad proposition, giving the
President full authority TO pursue any
course that may be advisable for the
purpose OF instltuting nm international
inquiry. 1t would seem, however. that
the time OF inquiry" is past. 1t Is
time for action, IL the unfortunate ma
tives are to bo saved from fate worse
than slavery.
There have been several inquiries.
aud the result Is that the world knows
of the existence of measures and prae-
tices OF fragrant inhumanity.' King
Leopold's own commissioners have told
the world that the exaction of labor
tax Is so oppressive that "many natives
on whom It falls have little, If any.
freedom That means that they are
slaves, II 1t means anything This
commission admitted that according TO
testimony that had not been refuted,
many abuses" existed. To quote from
the report;
According to these witnesses, these
auxiliaries, especially those who are de-
tailed to the villages, abuse the author
ity committed to them, transform
themselves into despots. demanding
wives, food not only for themselves but
also for a retinue of parasites and va
grants who. drawn by a love for ra-
pine, become their associates and form
sort of bodygunrd they Kill without
OF resistance To complying with their
demands or caprice. IL
is not possible for us TO say, even APP
proximaiely how many abuses these
scntylcs have committed. Several chiefs
IN tho Baringa region brought 10 us n
bunch of sticks, each one OF which was
said to represent a subject Killed by the
capitas The less offensive of the two
classes of sentriesl. One of them de-
clared that IN his village one hundred
and twenty had been killed during the
past years None OF the
agents who testified before the commits
sion. or were present at the sessions.
made any attempt To refutc the charges
against the sentries.'
This Ia significant enough from a re-
port by friendly commissioners, Con-
corning the moral conditions an opin-
ion may he formed from n pcrusal of
Abe observations OF Prof. Starr. of the
Chicago University. lie notes the scar
city of white women In the state, and
then continues:
almost without exception, the other
state officials and traders have black
women. These black women Of the
white man are 10 he soen wherever tho
white man himself is seen. A man
usually selects his black woman Hhoft-
~ after reaching the Congo and sup
ports her IN bis own house. where he
treats her OH the whole with kindness
lie considers her an inferior being, but
treats her like a doll or toy She n
dressed according TO her own fancy and
frequently brilliantly and more or less
.Xpensiycly She rarely forces atten-
lion upon herself but whore he goes
she goes II he travels on tho steamer
rho IL thero; " he makes trir
through tho rubber district, stopping
night after night IN native towns, sht
81 over one Of the caravan. She II
true to him and on the whole. though
there has been no marriage, he is true
10 hcr.'
There Is no lack OF Information as
io the inhuman cruelties that have been
practised upon the natives; nor as 10
the lose morals prevailing. Further in
curry Is but TO delay action what Is
seeded now is some International mea-
cure by which the inhuman wretohes
that have rendered the Congo region a
terltablo Ilados, shall DO prevented
from further abuse ~ tho victims OF
their greed.