THE CONGO BLOT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 33, 8 February 1908, Page 15

THE CONGO BLOT.

o ' Mr. John H. Harris writes in tho British Weekly, "as a man from the heart of this inferno" : — Now that, thanks very largely to the purity of the English press, the Congo iniquity has been fully exposed the civilised Avorld sees before it a most perfect system of slave trade and slavery, introduced into 'Africa by unparalleled hypocrisy' and fraud. I appeal to your readers to meditate upon the following undeniable facts : — (1). The people of England v ere primarily responsible for the creation of the Congo Free State. ' , (2). They- pledged themselves '"in the name of Almighty God" to watch over the Congo people. (3). The Congo Freo State stands convicted of being a huge slave State, its twenty' millions of people abjectly • enslaved. (4). The enforcement of this slavery entails through the whip, starvation, tortures, muTdcrs, the death of some hundred thousand human beings every year. To end these '"barbarous and inhuman conditions maintained from motives of the most selfish character" (Lord Lansdowne), Sir Edward Grey proposed Belgian annexation. We have waited two Congo years for Belgium to agree to this ! We now have King Leopold's proposals for annexation. I will not enter into a detailed examination of these, which contain amongst other objectionable conditions certain 'stipulations which provide for and" practically legalise immorality. ' The "Treaty , of Cession" ensures, if ratified. (1) Tho maintenanco of tho wholesystem of hypocrisy, fraud, outrage, murder, upon a defenceless people. (2) That Treaty is a "Mecieo-Pursian" document, Lock, and barrel it must.be accepted oricjeotcd." In conclusion Mr. Hairits urges continued agitation for prompt and decided action on the part of Biitam.