Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-04
RELIEF FOR
THE CONGO
LEOPOLD WILL cEDE COLONY TO
BELGIUM
AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT TO
BE FORMED
American and British Indignation at
Old Kings Maladministration
Is About to Bear
Fruit
spsoinl Gable to The Herald.

Special Gable to The Herald.
BRUSSELS, Aug. 3.-The close of King
Leopolds long struggle TO stave of the
annexation of the Congo to b gium. ard
to retain his personal sovereignty over
this rich and extensive African state. Is
foreshadowed in the agreement reached
between the Belgian and the Congo GOV
ernments. 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 heretosors the
entire conduct of affairs. civil and mali
tary, has been under the personal 1rTsc~
tion of King Leopold and a cabinet q
Congo officers entirely separate froua, s11
independent of, Belgium, whereas the new
regime will make the Belgian govern
ment instead of the king individually re-
sponsible for the conduct OF SonsS
affairs.
The British and American governments
have favored placing this governmental
responsibility on Belgium. as the British
officials have made the point that there
was great difficulty in dealing with the
Congo, in view of it's anomalous position
as a personal dependency of the king,
whereas foreign governments could deal
with it through the usual diplomatic
channels If the Belgian government as
sumed responsibility for its administra-
tion.
Expose of Atrocities
The proposed transfer comes at time
when Mai Lamair's charges of Congo
atrocities are again directing attention TO
the past admins tration. Charges OF this
nature have heretofore aroused much re-
sentiment in Europe and the United States,
and the Congo administration has sought
to meet them in part by the invest1ga-
tions of a commission, the report of which
disclosed many serious abuses. MAJ
LAMAR now renews the attack with
vehemence and authority whlch give
added effect to his charges.
For five months after the Belgian par
lament committed itself last December
to the principle of annexation Count
smet de Naeyer, the premier and strong
personal friend of the king, blocked the
way. and the parliamentary commission
anpointed to investigate the intricacies
of the Congo financial administration was
powerless to get at the facts
The De Troos government assumed
power in May upon the promise to push
the question. but there is a suspicion that
n had made an agreement with the king
who was ready at last TO yield on the
question of annexation through fear OF
Intervention by outside powers, but Wno'
II Is believed, has no intention of permit
ting the Belgian parliament. II he can
nreyent II. to pry too closely into the
Congo administration.
The question Of the responsibility OF the
future administration Of the Congo under
a regime of annexation is TO be. there
fore, the real issue.
Treaty of Annexation
No difficulty about the treaty OF an
nexation itself is anticipated. 1t is ex-
p.cted to be similar to the one proposed
by Count Merode when he was premier IN
1895. The document simply declared that
the sovereign OF the Congo Leopold H.
cedes his sovereign rights and all the as
sets Of the Congo Free State to Belgium,
which in turn, assumes the liabilities Of
the African state The real fight Will fol-
low upon the terms OF the colonial law.
When Belgium was created. in 1890, Bel
eian colonies were not foreseen, and no
provision was made in the constitution
for colonial administration. The Belgian
royalists conservatives, clericals and
fraction of the moderates) want the law
practically to convert the present Congo
administration into an autonomous gov
ernment, not responsible to parliament.
The other side Qiberals and radicals)
also desire to give the Congo full auton
omy. but insist that unless the admins
tration is made directly responsible to the
Belgian parliament there will be no way
of correcting present abuses and prevent
ing the exploitation of the natives for
the benefit of the rubber and ivory com
panies
In other words they say the humanitar
ian reasons which now exist for annexa-
ton would be defeated and the whole
scheme for getting the Congo out of the
clutches of its present NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
might as we'll be abandoned
The indications are that the whole sub
ject will be threshed out in parliament
during the fall, and that January or Feb
ruary, 1908, will see the Congo Free State
a colony of Belgium instead OF personal
dependency of King Leopold.