THE CONGO.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 5

THE CONGO.

BRITISH MINISTER'S WARNING; • i ■ ' ANNEXATION AND TREATY RICHTS. BY TELEGEAPn—ntESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. \ London, February 27. In tho courso of his specch in tho House of Commons on tho position of the Congo Free Stato and tho proposed annexation by Belgium, tho Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Sir Edward Grey, stated: — " When it is clearoi' that Belgium intends to as3ump control of tho Congo on satisfactory conditions, we ivill discuss with. Belgium, in fi friendly way, all questions arising under our treaty rights. Should, however, tho transfer not occur, wo will be freo to.;dcal with thoso questions in our own way." ' Ho added that tho Congo Stato as it existed had forfoited, morally, every right to international recognition, and if Belgium did not assumo responsibility for tho country, tho British Government would do its utmost, to find moans of securing practical results in the way of reform of conditions' in .the Congo Stato. Sir Edward Grey concluded by accepting Mr. Jonos's resolution condemning tho Congo administration, amid cheers. • Tho nbwspapers comment on Sir Edward Grey's gravo words of warning.

DIVERSION, OF TAXES. Impartial observer? maintain that, * from philanthropic as well as self-interested motives, Belgians arc just as keen i\s 1 ' Englishmen on reforming the present; system, the abuses of which are recognised. But the terms of the proposed annexation are , tlio difficulty. Some of the objectionable features have been pointed out by M. Herbert Speyer, a Belgian jurist, whose views are especially interesting as coming from a • member of tho Moderate and thoroughly Boynlist 1 wing of the Liberal party, hn.r lnrlierto /largely refrained from cril icisinpf the dispositions of the Sovereign-Founder. After touching on tho financial questions already mentioned, he contends that, in spite of .the assertions of tho plenipotentiaries, the Domaine will continue to be an unconstitutional organisation, :n State within .the. State. He also points,, out how very far from "assuring to Uie, Belgian Government the necessary control" is the provision whereby, apparently, not only will the Belgian Government havn , 110 voice in the nomination of its half of the administrative committee until after the death of all the members who were officinting r at the time of the Founder's decease, but. even-then tho Gov ernment nominations ; will be 1 : ;maile by tin King, double capacity of King of Ih Belgians subject to Ministerial countersign an Representative of the Founder,' with epeci: .powers. ' ■'' ' '

Tho Brussels ' correspondent : of. '"Tlio Times" comments: —"The, peculiarity of tills-unim;e and sinister . phenomenon, the Fondation de ,1a ;• Couronnc, v is. of course,. that tho rcyenno of one eighth part, and that by, far tli.e most'' productive, of'tho whole 'colony are,-and,-if tho'treaty is nceented. are to continue, to ■ be. : largely db T voted to purposes which: have 1 nothing whatever to do with the welfare'of the colony itself. '-Enormous sums hare been spent,, on work? of an architectural.: scientific, artistic, and 'sumptuary' nature .in Behnum, principally in and about Brussels 'and at Qsteijd.' Some, .of, these ; so-railed works' of. embellishment are fine, all are. very large,'and -Belgians are immensely grateful to the Founder for the lavish magnificence, of his ideas ; but now thny are brought face to face with' the prospect of having to take: over; with.all its responsibilities. n colony which,- even with tho present drastic methods of, P.xploitationl ifi represented as. hardly paying its .way; . while, all the 'while' millions of- francs, "which, '.under any healthy, system, would form part. :of its annual income, aro to be devoted to other purposes." :'. ' ; It will be'noted jthat ,gij; rpv,''ij} his' remarks cabled yesterday, emphasised the principle that : "taxes should go to improve tlio position of the people."