The Committee of the Congo Reform Association have addressed a
Memorial to Sir Edward Grey on the Congo Transfer Treaty. The essential contention of the Committee is that the obligations of the Congo State, for which it is pro- posed that Belgium shall assume responsibility, involve the perpetuation of that interpretation of the rights of property which is the root of the prevailing evils. The rights which have been conferred upon the concessionnaires depend on the maintenance of this system. Therefore, if Belgium under- takes to maintain the rights of the concessionnaires, she will never be able to put an end to a state of things "morally
wrong and internationally illegal." We are most anxious that nothing should be said or done which may seem unfair or unfriendly to the Belgian people, or which can be represented as putting undue pressure upon an independent and friendly State. At the same time, we cannot help thinking that Belgian statesmen will be well advised to pay special attention to the point thus raised by the Congo Reform Association. Meantime we feel that Sir Edward Grey is thoroughly alive to all the perplexities and dangers of the situation, and that he may be trusted implicitly to do what is demanded by right and justice in a very difficult situation.
