Congo Wrongs

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

Congo Wrongs is an article published in the The Western Morning News on 24 november 1909.


Congo Wrongs

The Western Morning News (24 november 1909, p. 8)

An Understanding Between England and Germany.

A demonstration on the Congo question was held at Hull last night, presided over by the Bisbop of Hull. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Mr. E. D. Morel were among the speakers.

Mr. Morel, referring to the hope he had expressed at Plymouth on Thursday last of an early understanding being reached between Germany and England on the Congo question, stated that, according to information which he had received, and which he believed to be wholly reliable, the last 48 hours had seen that hope become a reality. He was informed that an understanding as to the necessity for securing the rights of the natives and of international commerce on the Congo had actually been reached between the British and German Governments. The exact scope of the understanding he did not know, but he hoped the outcome might be the speedy summoning of an international conference of the Powers, in which he trusted the United States Government, as the first of the Powers to recognize the flag of the Congo Free State, would join. In view of the generally unsatisfactory character of the Belgian proposals for reform, and of the extraordinary ideas with which the minds of the ruling classes in Belgium were still impregnated as regards the duties of a protecting Power towards uncivilized peoples, a conference of the Powers seemed to him are absolute essentiality. The Congo Reform Association bad worked for a conference for the past five years.