The Detroit times., 1909-12-21
LEOPOLD KNEW OF
CONGO ATROCITIES
DIR. JOS. CLARKE.
Documentary Evidence and Photo
graphs Revealing Horrible Cruel
ties Were Placed Before Him.
DIR. JOS. CLARKE.

1T is absurd and untrue for any
well'informed, fair-minded person to
say that the late King Leopold. OF Eel
gum, did not know OF the atroci,>rs
practiced upon the natives In lae
Congo Free state" said DR.. Joseph
Clarke. the Baptist missionary who
has labored In the Congo for nearly
80 years, and Is In Detroit at present.
the guest or Miss Hattie NJ. Hodge.
No. II Westinghouse He knew
perfectly we'll and did nothing to stop
them. ] know that documentary eyi-
dence setting forth in sworn affidavits
the cruelties going on there and
photographs of the mvtila.ed bodies.
dead and alive. OF the wretched ma
tives were seen by him time and again.
His only reply was these are the birth
pangs OF a natioH..--His own court of
inquiry sent TO the Congo five years
ago and composed of three weli-known
Belgian jurists was the result OF the
tremendous pressure brought TO bear
upon him by the Indignation OF the
whole world l. myself. was brought
before that court at regular intervals
during its long inquiry. and in one pub
lished report OF its findings. which can
be found In any public library, the
testimony | gave may be read
Not a one Of the statement made
by me or by any other missionary
were ever discredited. We we're
much surprised that the court
should have made so fair a
statement In it's findings In face
of the fact that King Leopold wanted
the most favorable verdict TO himself
that could be returned. It is a strange
fact that the United States was the
first country to recognize the flag OF
the Association Internationale as rep
resenting a friendly power. but such
was done In 1884. Leopold appealed
to America as the only ouside power
whose action In this matter would
hold. and without making the close
inquiry which should have been done.
the officials In Washington sent word
TO Americas ambassadors and consuls
throughout the world that the Congo
Free state must be recognized as a
friendly power. The Association In
ternationale was composed OF King
Leopold. Henry M. Stanley and IN
American named Sanford, but very
soon Stanley and Sanford were
dropped and Leopold was the whole
association, just as he is the largest
stockholder In every company that has
ever been permitted to operate In the
Congo. Why, his own private prop
erty in the state was nine times
larger than the whole OF Belgium and
is the richest in the Congo, millions
OF dollars going into his private purse
from It."
The statement that Leopold had
done so much for the betterment Of
the natives, made by Theophile Fran
coils, Belgian consul In Detroit, was
drawn to Or. Clarke's attention; also
that England has been at the bottom
Of the exposure Of alleged Congo cruel
ties
"It Is ridiculous to make such an
accusation against England or any
other country. the facts have como
from men OF every nationality who
have lived In the Congo Free state for
years and are intimately acquainted
with the actual conditions" said DR..
Clarke. king Leopold, OF the Bel
gian government. has never done any,
thing for the natives. Every human
izing influence that have ever been
provided for them has been estab-
lished by the missions. On the con-
trary the government has used every
means in It's power TO prevent the mis-
sionaries establishing schools and hos
pitals and other elements OF civiliza-
tion. We are not permitted To carry
on our work except in the territory
In which we are now established"
DR.. Clarke says the natives are re-
markably intelligent and learn very
'quiekly, He says that the new king
of the BerRians can do much toward
reform II he will throw the weight OF
his own personality in that direction.