A NOTE OF WARNING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 133, 28 February 1908, Page 7

A NOTE OF WARNING.

. THE CONGO STATE. NO SEMI-TRANSFER WILL DO. . IMPRESSIVE SPEECH BY SIR E. GREY. BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT(Rec. Feb. 27, 11.18 p.m.) London, February 27. Tho House of Commons, after a weighty debate, agreed to a resolution moved by Mr. L. S. Jones (Liberal), which described tho administration of tho Congo Freo State as tho destruction of' tho personal liberty and economic rights of the native population, and of tho freedom of commercial intercourse with tho outer-world that was guaranteed by the Ahglo-Congoleso Convention, 1884, and by the Berlin Act, 1885. ; THE COUNTRY MOVED; Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said that for thirty years no other external question had moved Britain so greatly; , Tho Government's; policy has been to oncourage a real and full transfer of tho Congo territory to Belgium, with efFectivo Parliamentary control. : If Belgium refused to undertake the responsibility, ho web not awaro who could. • He, did not believe that Belgium would accept an exceedingly dangerous transfer on terms .of merely. nominal responsibility - and control. Any semi-transfer leaying the real control in the hands of the present authorities would .not ,bo;regarded, by Britain ,as a guarantee of. treaty rights.. (. THE ASSISTANCE THROUGH CUSTOMS. Now 1 , authority must separate tho administration and -tho trading element. Taxes should go to improve the condition of the people. If -forced' labour or veiled slavery wero abolished,'- and if the revenue declined 'and tlip Government of the Congo wero com-' pelled to■ provide funds for-the administration, ho would be willing : to consider a revision of tho Customs duties to facilitate tho task of administration. ■

ißritain desired .that Belgium's choice should bo absolutely free, and should be made iwith full knowledgo of: tho . actual position. Britain .would gladly co-operate .with' other Powers. America's attitude, was most important, and could not fail to influence the opinion of.Europe. - . LEOPOLD'S EXCESSIVE DEMANDS. 1 . .NEARLY A CRISIS. ' ! ■ ■: Brussels, February 26. King Leopold's claims for personal com-, pensation in connection with the Congo annexation proposals are so extraviagant that the whole '(..Cabinet threatened .to .resign, whereupon King Leopold modified his demands. • '| I" - : ■