THE CONGO ATROCITIES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 April 1906, Page 2

THE CONGO ATROCITIES.

Mb Keik Hardie’s remarks on the Congo atrocities serve to remind us that, in spite of the efforts of his critics and detractors, King Leopold, of Belgium, is still the virtual ruler of out: of the richest regions of South Africa. The Congo Free State was handed over by the Powers to the King of Belgium on condition that he would civilise it, put down slavery, and establish free -Trade for all the world. What Leopold has done is to convert the Congo into a, huge private estate for tho benefit of himself and his countrymen. The natives have boon freed from the Arab slavers, but they have been reduced to a far more abject condition of servitude by the Belgian officials. Under penalty of flogging, torture or death, they have been forced to bring in rubber or ivory for their Belgian taskmasters ; and tho severest punishment has been reserved for those wh.> infringed Leodd's edict that nothing must be sold to my white man except his agents and officials. To terrorise the natives into submission, the Belgians have armed and drilled savage tribes of cannibal negroes and turned them loose on tho wretched inhabitants. Many of the horrible tales told by travellers and others as to the treatment; received by the natives at tha hands of th Belgians and their cannibal followers can hardly be repeated in print. But the evidence is so imposing in magnitude and consistent that it is impossible to discredit it or absolve King Leopold of the frightful charge of setting up & reign of terror in Central Africa for the purpose of enriching himself and his friends. The protests and denunciations of English travellers—Captain Burrows, Mr . I). Morel, Mr Fox Bourne, and others—and tho official reports of Mr Casement, the British Consul at Borneo, at last roused curiosity e v en in Belgium, and last year Ireopold was constrained lo set up a Commission of Enquiry into his own administration of the Congo. The report of the Commission, as might have been expected, exonerated the King from any person nal responsibility. But tie evidence as to the atrocities submitted was simply appalling. One missionary brought forward witnesses to prove two hundred murders and outrages in five villages, apd was prepared to go on to twenty more villages which had suffered the same fate; but the Commission said they had heard enough. One member said afterwards that listening to the witnesses was like wading through a stream of blood —from every side came prcofs of men murdered, wives and daughters outraged, babies cut in pieces, while mutilation and ingenious to'ture_ were constant features in the testimony. Leopold and his fellow shareholders in the Congo Companies drew millions sterling a year from these royal preserves, and their opinion about these stories can hardly bo termed unprejudiced. But the Aborigines’ Protection .Society has determined -o go to all lengths rather than toterate -these horrors longer Mor Morel, whose recent book, “Leopold’s Rule in Aj.nca t ’’ has renewed the agitation against ‘he Belgians, dedans that the Arm* man found the jurk a “gentle dilettante” compared with the white maste’s of the Congo ts-*, and ha appetite to (he Anglo. Saxon rac- “in the name of humanity, of common decency, and pity,” to put an end to this monstrous outrage on civilisation. After reading all this it is somewhat of a surprise lo learn from Mr Kear Hardia i hat Englishmen had as much right os Belgians to feel indignant at -the treatment that savages had received from men of their own race. So far as (file Australasian Colonies—to which Mr Keir Hardie referred—are concerned, this is an outrageous calumny. In Australia in the old days the life of an aboriginal vras not valued highly. But there is nothing in the records of British colonisation in any way analogous to the deeds of the Belgians in Central Africa. It is to be hoped that the horrors which were revealed and denounced a short time ago, even in the Belgian Chamber of Deputies, will rouse a burst of uublic indignation that will compel lieopold to forego his ill-gotten gains, and set liis viyctiins free from this atrocious bondage.