CONGO ATROCITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 213, 7 September 1909, Page 5

CONGO ATROCITIES.

FBttrCE ALBERT GRIEVED. I ( Received 3.-to a.m.) BRUSSELS, September 6. The leading Cachoiic newspaper of Brussels declares that Prince Albert on I his recent visit to the Congo was grieved and exasperated to see the terrible devastation and destruction of native life caused by the Leopoldian system. A number of leading personalities in the religious and philanthropic world, 1 who nearly two years ago drew up aa appeal to the English nation on the subject of the cruelties practised upon the native population in the Congo, came forward last month with a manifesto, in which it wag pointed out that hitherto no effective measures have been taken to put an end to the inhumanity. The White Book recently issued by the Foreign Office, the signatories maintain, proves beyond question that at this mo-rar-nt a system which involves many of the worst features of African slavery, or even exceeds it in horror, is prevailing throughout a territory of nearly 1.000.000 -quare miles. For this state of things the British and American peoples, by placing that territory under the authoriiv which has governed it for a quarter of a nenturv. have a responsibility which they cannot evade. That the most unspeakable cruelties prevail, the protest ' says, is a fact not open to question. i They are admitted by our foremost statesmen, to whatever political party they belong. They are 3tirring the sympathy and evoking the indignation of the people- at the United States not less strongly than in England. American ntatepmen have joined their remonstrances to our own. We refuse to believe that diplomacy has come to the end of its resources. But so far. whiie exhibiting- with unsparing analysis the unabated persistence of the evil, diplomacy seems merely to register afresh the protest which it has unavailingly uttered during the past six years. Things cannot without dishonour be left where thpy are. Tin' very principles of 'iberty. for which the British people have contended for 10(1 years, are now at stake. If (die members of the Christian Churches of the land , will make their voices heard, the states- ! men. not of England only, must needs listen, and the best instincts of every ! civilised country will respond/