HUMAN BONDAGE

Northern Advocate, 18 July 1935, Page 7

HUMAN BONDAGE

RED SEA TRAFFIC /

POSITION IN ABYSSINIA. LEAGUE REPORT DISCUSSED. IBritish Official Wireless.l (Received 12.30 p.m.) ■: ... RUGBY, July 17. The subject of slavery, was discussed in the -House of Lords in connection with the recent report of the Slavery Committee of the League of Nations. Lord Cecil and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Cosmo Gordon Lang, paid a tribute to the <work of the British Governments for the last 100 years, and, since the War, at Geneva, in support of the movement for the suppression of slavery.

The Archbishop complained of the need for more information from certain areas, and advocated a special agreement making traffic in slaves in territories round the Red Sea and other places.

With regard to Abyssinia, he said it was only fair to recognise that the Emperor was trying to suppress slavery,- in spite of difficulties.

Lord Noel Buxton and Lord Polworth spoke to the same effect in referring to their personal experiences in

Lord Polworth said that the Emperor told him and Lord Buxton in 1932 that slavery would be extinct in 12, or certainly in 22, years. His own people gave the number of slaves at between 500,000 and 600,000. Accepting the official figure, 3643 slaves had been liberated in the past year. It was clear, therefore, that it would, be a long time at that rate before slavery was extinct. Replying to the debate, Lord Stanhope said the Government was anxious to increase the influence and power of the League Slavery Committee and would give to its work the fullest possible support. With regard to the Red Sea traffic, he claimed that the preventive measures in which the British forces took part had reduced a big stream to a ripple. Lord Stanhope added that the idea of a convention of the Powers round the Red Sea was receiving attention. Mr Anthony Eden’s recommendation for a special meeting of the League Committee on Slavery to be held in 1936 would be considered by the Assembly in September.