Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-09-24

medlatelv the extension Of the hostili-
ties to the territories thus neutralized
az wen as the making Of them as
mse for operations OF war
Mission of Civilization.
AS early as August 2, 1914 IN
those DAYS Of anguish when the Ger
man aggression menaced even our eN-.
lstencc. Belgium did not lose sight OF
the mission Of civilization that she
had assumed in far-off Africa, ana
che invited the powers TO ncutrahze
hH the colonies OF the bclllgerenl
states included in the ConNtnilonal
Basin of the CONGO. that is TO day
not including Belgian Congo when
has. since its origin. been under the
regime Of permanent neutrality
French Equatorial Africa, Biusl
East Africa. Uganda, German Kane
run ana German East Africa
In view OF the mission OF ciFil2-
alton common 20 the coloni2ing nae
tlons. wrote the minister Of foreign
affairs on August T. 1914, the BEL
kian government desires, through
feelings OF humanity not 10 cKtcnu
the field OF hosulties 20 Central Aifi-
"a. II viii therefore take no inltla-
tive 10 inflctinR such blot on the
civilization of that region, ana the
military forces that IL possesses there
viii not enter into action hcopt they
be- forced to rcpulse direct attack
against its African possessions
This proposition, better IMAM any
other symptom, shows with what
serenity our little country accepted
the supreme sacrifice imposed Boy the
law of honor and regard for the right
fft. s,f
because NJ the moment that this at-
utude wis adopted, the Belgian gov
crnment was well aware that In Arr
"a il disposed Of military forces that
permitted it TO Chastise there the ag
gressor Of Belgium and take revenge
for the reverse that was bound 10
0verwhelu. at the beginning of the
European campaign the Belgian army
numerically much inferior 10 the Ger
man army
But the act Of Berlin, Hike The
treaty Of naturalization OF 1893. only
constituted 10 the eyes Of Germany %
scrap OF paper. while the Belgian
troops IN Congo abstaincd from all
nets of hostility, the Germans prepar-
al for war and, on August az. 1914
they strongly attacked, without pre-
tious summons. the Belgian port OF
Iuhuga, on the lake Tanraniku,
III was thus that, by deliberate act
Of thu Germans and IN violation Of the
reserve that we were observing, the
hOstlities between Germany and Bel
guIm extended TO Africa.
war being forced upon u, tho Bel
sian government could no longer hes
hate IN doing It's duty.
Belgium Takes Action.
ION hearing the news OF the brutal
aggression against Lukuga, the Bel
nian government sent the following
Instructions to the authorities Of the
Congo.
+" IN view OF the direct attacks by
the Germans against tho colony Of the
Belgian Congo and particularly
against the port OF Lukuga. the gov
eminent commands you 10 take all
military measures for the defense Of
the Belgian territory.
Consequently you can authorize
the entrance OF the British troops IN
Belgian territory. accept the offer of
passage for the Belgian troops in Rho-
desia, undertake, In cooperation with
the British troops or by means only
Of Belgian troops, all offensive nc
ton that the defense OF the Integrity
Of our colonial territory demands
"BelAlan Congo has common from
tiers with two German colonies. Ger
man East Africa, which It touches for
a distance of eight degrees, and ka-
merun that, since 1919, has projected
10 the Belgian frontier two "mten-
nae" taken from the French Congo.
at the iuncture OF the UbnnH and the
Lobaye and at tho juncture of the
Sanga and the river Congo.
1T was necessarily In these regions,
whore the two states were I'm con
tact, that the military events took
place.
in the first phase OF tho war. the
Belgian colonial troops participated
in conjunction with the French troops
Ia the basin Of the SanRa Tho Bel
gians sent there "a contingent Of u-
fantry with artillery and an armed
boat which supported tho action of
the troops in the naviRible part OF the
river. The press communicates have
described the operations In this re-
Rlon. Each combat was another sue
ccee for the BolgianR, the black troops
led by q few Holpian officers cover
ing themselves with glory After lG
months Of marching ana incossaut
atTuUElea in forests uud cWnmug i'm a.