Mr. Morel and the Congo (article 21 october 1910)
Mr. Morel and the Congo is an article published in The Times on 21 october 1910.
Mr. Morel and the Congo
At the last day's session of the Liberal Christian League's autumn assembly, held at the City Temple yesterday, addresses were delivered upon the work done by Mr. E. D. Morel to secure better administration in the Congo. The REV. R. J. CAMPBELL presided.
SIR A. CONAN DOYLE said he was secretary to the movement which had been set on foot to show some national recognition of Mr. Morel's work. Over £2,000 had been raised in small sums. It was not a large sum as a national testimonial, but the end was not yet, and after Mr. Morel's return from Nigeria it was hoped that there would be something more worthy of the occasion. For many years Mr. Morel had fought for the cause without thought for himself, laying all he had on the altar of righteousness. When in 1900 things were at their worst in the Congo, when no European Government moved in the matter and the feeble protests of Great Britain were made in a manner showing they were not serious, Mr. Morel, then a clerk to a shipping Arm largely occupied in the carriage of rubber from the Congo, filled with horror at the facts that came to his knowledge, devoted himself to arousing public opinion. The Congo Reform Association was started. and after a bitter fight of five years the concessionnaires, led by the most astute Monarch in Europe, were brought down. In the struggle Mr. Morel showed determination, power of organization, and diplomacy that drew all good men to his side. At last that was done which could have been effected earlier if the pressure had been greater, and for two years the Congo had been a Belgian colony. For the first year nothing was done, but now in half the territory the hideous system of oppression had disappeared. (Cheers.) But the efforts of England must not be relaxed and the Belgian colony should not be officially recognized until the whole of the evil system with the concessionnaires was swept away. (Cheers.)
ARCHDEACON POTTER said the Congo was now in a better condition owing to the efforts of Mr. Morel and his friends, but something should be done to prevent a recurrence of such infamous crimes as had been committed. To this end he asked people to join the League of Honour, every member of which gave a pledge to vote for no man who would not go straight on such matters as the system of indentured labour in South Africa and elsewhere.
Mr. I. ZANGWILL said that Mr. Morel had devoted a large part of his life to the destruction of a piece of devil's work. He began the struggle unknown, with only the support of his conscience, and had proved that one man with God is the majority." (Cheers.) He had not made money, but had made history. For years he stood almost alone demanding that the treaty rights of England should not be trampled on. Even now there was only passive resistance to Belgium, and this would not have been displayed if Belgium had not been a minor Power. Never had England's dignity and self-respect stood nearer zero.
