The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-12
A Humanity League That Failed.

out IL.
A Humanity League That Failed.
The author Of that remarkable book
on Africa, "Hells Playground" sends
to THE Sun a reminder of league
Of nations which did not accomplish
the one little object to which II
pledged itself:
ITO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir:
Lest we forget that league OF ma
tons stood indlfferently by and per-
mitted 10000. 900 natives Of the Bel
gian Congo to be sacrificed 20 King
LEoPoLp's greed for wealth via rub
Der. call attention to the Berlin act
OF February &c. 1885.
THAT act specifically International
lied the basin of the great Congo
River and the various slgnatorles
thereto pledged themselves to look
after the safety and welfare Of the
natives.
The signator!es were Germany.
Belgium. Denmark, Spain. France,
Great Britain. Italy. Holland, Portu-
gal, Russia, Sweden, Norway. Turkey
and the United States. However. al
though our representative signed the
act, the ratification of our Govern
ment was not subsequently delivered
AT Berlin.
THE rubber murders came 10 a
stop in the Belgian Congo only after
missionaries forced the issue in Eng
land, but Portugal continues to OPP
crate her great cacao plantations
with slaves. and thousands OF these
worn out, helpless creatures are set
adrlft annually to find their way
back as best they can to their far
away jungle homes!
IDA VERA SrMoNToN.
NEW YORK, March s."
One sentence of Miss SIMoNroN's
etter may need further explanation
10 persons whose memories do not
stretch thlrty-five years and who may
IA puzzled by the statement that, al
.hough our representatives signed the
let, the ratification Of our Govern
nent was not subsequently delivered
It Berlin" That little chapter In our
diplomatic history is interesting, and
{ cannot be told better than in the
words of GROVER CLEVELAND, who
lealt with 1t as follows in his first
Message TO Congress in 1885:
"A conference OF delegates OF the
principal commercial nations was
held at Berlin last winter to discuss
methods whereby the Congo basin
might be kept open TO the worlds
trade. Delegates attended on behalf
OF the United States on the UNDER
standing that their part should be
merely deliberative, without impart-
ing to the results any binding char
acter so far as the United States
were concerned. This reserve was
duo to the indisposit!on of this Gov
eminent to share in any disposal by
an international congress OF turisdic-
tional questions in remote foreign
territories
THE results OF the conference were
embodied in Il formal act of the ma
which laid down certain obligations
purporting TO be binding on tho sig
natories subject to ratification within
ono year. Notwithstanding tho reser-
walton under which the delegates Of
tho United States attended their sig
natures were attached to the general
act in the same manner as those OF
the plenlpOtentiaries of other Gov
ernments, thus making the United
States appear, without reserve or
QUALIFICATION, as siguatorles TO joint
international engagement imposing
on the signers the conservation of the
territorial integrity of distant re-
gions where we have no established
interests or control.
This Government does not how
ever. regard its reservation OF liberty
Of action in the premises as at all
impaired; and holding that an en-
gagement TO share in the obligation
OF enforcing neutrality in the remote
valley of the Congo would be an al
lance wh;.se responsibilities we are
not in position TO assume, alb
stain from asking the sanction OF the
Senate TO that general act"
After all these years two facts