THE CONGO.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 February 1908, Page 7

THE CONGO.

IN KOIIPBOMISIM OOVEffIISEBE

SERIOUS STATEMENT,

BY TELEGRAPH—rEESS ASSOCIATION —COrVBIGIIT. London,"February 25; 111 .1 debate in the House of Lords, Lord Filssmaurice, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, declared that the. Congo Government's attitudo was more uiicomproimsing liow than ever before.

Tho Marquis of Lansdowno, who was Secretary of State for Foreign - Affairs in'tho last Administration, commented 011 what ho considered a serious announcement. AN IMPASSE. . ; ' ; ■ Tho warning note previously sounded as to annexation boinrr but a poor' solution of the liroblem is borne out by recent criticisms. It soi'ins that tlio treaty of ccssion i'or annexing tho Congo (o Helium,', now- before tlio 1MBian Parliament, cannot be amended; .Parliament mint either accept :iir ■ reiect-. it. ■ It is further stated that if Belgium .is to-take over the the terms proposed, it can only do so profitably by. continuing some measure o the objectionable practices which have enabled the present administration to make proms. lints, cither Belgium must bo prepared to lose through annexation, or else the'latter is no guarantee that the exploitation of "native labour will not bo continued. Belgium, it is said, recognises this, as-also does'. King Leopold. .