Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-22
African Republic Cut OFF From
Supplies and Revenue
by War.
POPULATION IS PLACED =
ON RESTRICTED RATIONS
No Ships Have Entered Port Since
Conflict Experimentation Col.
cred Folk Settled Country.

Although the republic of Liberia, on
the west coast of Africa. is situated
thousands Of miles from the scene OF the
European conflict, it has been SO seriously
affected by the progress Of the war that
its condition has been formally brought
to the attention of the State Department.
Monrovia, the capital a town with a
population of 10000, and all the settle
ments on the coast are almost entirely
dependent upon English and German
ships for meat. flour, sugar and other
food supplies and clothing. and since
the war began no ships have arrived.
Food has become SO scarce that the
population has been put upon restricted
rations. In addition to this. the revenues
of the republic, which are obtained almost
entirely from duties upon imports. have
almost entirely ceased. and. as there are
no internal resources, the government is
experiencing great difficulty in meeting
its obligations
This serious condition of affairs has
been laid before the Department of State
In a letter from Consul General Lyons
Of Liberia. supplemented by a commune
cation presented to the department today
by DIR. H L. Z. johnson, president of
the American Colonization Society. This
d
night, was the original owner of the ter
ritory now held and occupied by the re-
public Of Liberia. and the Lberian gov
eminent has appealed to 1t for aid in OBJ
tanning assistance from this government
1t is expected that some plan OF re-
lief will be devised.
To Relieve Food Shortage.
It has been suggested that a shipload
nj he
York by authority of Congress, or that
some part of the appropriation of So
100000 for the relief of Americans
abroad might be utilized in helping the
Liberian people, The residents of Mon
rovia are nearly all colored people sent
from the United States or their descend
ants.
When the war began the United States
government manifested its friendly in
terest in Liberia by requesting the
French, German and English govern
ments to respect the neutrality of tho
republic. Affirmative answers were re-
ceived from France and Germany, bur
England ignored the request The Amer
lean Colonization Society. with the ap-
proyal Of the State Department. also
cabled President Howard of Liberia sug-
costing that the strictest neutrality be
observed in order that no pretext might
be found in the future for a violation OF
the territorial integrity OF the repup-
lie.
Fear for Integrity.
Inasmuch as France and England have
already taken large sections of Liberia.
and as a repartition OF Africa is regard
ed as certain to be one of the results OF
the war. there Is possibility that more
land may be taken If any excuse is
found therefor. France has already pro-
tested against the maintenance of q Ger
man wireless station at Monrovia. and
1t will require considerable diplomacy
to keep the Liberian republic. which is
a very rich undeveloped country. from
falling into the hands of European
powers.
At one time the English government
made overtures to the Liberian people
fer their annexation to Great Britain,
but the propositions were not accepted.