CURRENT LITERATURE.
THE CRISIS IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST CONGO MISRULE.
The Crisis in the Campaign against Congo Misrule. By E. D. Morel. (Published by the Congo Reform Association, 165 Queen Victoria Street. 1d.)—We desire to draw the attention of our readers to Mr. Morel's striking warning against the danger of allowing the Congo Free State to transfer its possessions to Belgium without guarantees that there shall be an alteration in the relations between the Government and the governed. If the change were to be effected with out such an alteration, the situa- tion of the unfortunate inhabitants of the Congo would be far worse than at present, and far more hopeless, because it would be practically impossible to put upon a fully independent State like Belgium even that limited amount of pressure which can be placed upon the Congo Free State. We trust that our readers will study Mr. Morel's pamphlet ; but we will note here its essential question. "Will the British Government insist that a radical suppression of the existing 'system' must be the price of British recognition of Belgian annexation of the Congo ?" It must not be supposed that Mr. Morel's pamphlet is in any sense hostile to the Belgian people. On the contrary, it warns them of the great danger to which they may be exposed if they take over the Congo without proper consideration and on just terms. No people with a conscience could continue to govern the Congo as it has been governed ; but to govern it conscientiously must cost Belgium a very largo sum for a considerable number of years to come.
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