Show CANT CAN'T INTERFERE 1 IN CONGO GONGO AFFAIRS I I Secretary Root Explains Why This Nation Naton Is Powerless NO TREATY RIGHTS THERE Only Potential Function Relates lo to toSea Sea Search tel i a and mil Cal Capture it tire of or slave Slavo Ve New ew Yol York Feb 25 The The The govern govern- o ment nent of the United States I Is absolute absolute- I iy y powerless to Interfere In an any wa way vay to o put iUt a stop to 0 the he alleged abuses supposed to exl exist t in ut the Congo Conlo FreeState Free Froe State or ur even to lO as the Uc other na- na tons ions lons of the world to intervene ene In any anyway wa way vay In the affairs of that hat free state staI or o o of the Belgian government Io That In effect is the position talen taken tak tal- en l h by the state department according accord accord- l ing InS ng to Congressman Edwin Denby of oC Detroit Mich who Is In this city to tonight tonight tonight to- to night and who iho has been ane beEn trying asa as us usa a a. member on foreign relations of the house louse of representatives to hn have some tome action acton tal taken en by br the he United States to put an end to the slavery I and anti abuse abe of oC natives nat es of or the Congo which have luve stirred the entire civilized entre world Mr Ir Denby tonight made mace pubic public a aletter letter leter that he has received ed from rota th secretary o of state In which the latter hatter later reviews rc th time the entire situation Ion at length ent anti and sets forth how hos' Jm impotent potent w we art IUt artto to interfere The rue he letter leter I is in into I r to one of Inquiry sent by hr Mr Deuby and is as follows Root Boot Tells of ur Department of or State Washington Dear Der Sir I 1 have your our letter leUer of th the Hith regard regard- lag InS ng the wl widespread e C fueling feeling among among your our con constituents that 0 our Io government ought to do something to bring about au an Inter Inter- Inquiry with wih a view to ire lve adjudication of ot the Issues s to lo which the he conditions supposed to exist in the Congo Conlo Free State are aie related Your Inquiry expresses es the difficulty in inthe he the W sia wa- wa waIt It I ts S not clear that the United States Is In a position to lo bring bring about such an arm International Inquiry an and adjudication Ve e re are panics parties to 10 a General net act for Cor the suppression of the slave trade and ant the regulation of the tIre fire tre arms and ant liquor rattle In Central Africa hut but that act acl regulates and ant confInes all al powers and anil ant functions to those ent ends to the several 0 ers ov er having possessions or 01 spheres of ol in Africa The United States Stales hs has tas n neither and amI its Is participation In the general genera act wa was on the distinct understanding under standing t that ha t we had no 10 territorial or ad- ad lve Interest in that quarter Our only onh potential function Is in relation to the search and ca of sla slave e vessels vessel within certain waters of ot the time American coast an and no occasion has arisen to ex exercise exercise ex- ex that function We Ye are not parties s sto to the other more commonly cited general generl act of or the Congo signed at Berlin on omi Feb Feu 26 26 16 Our OUI treat treaty relations to the tile Congo Congo Conso Con Con- go so l Free rec State Stale Is that of ot one sovereign so to another wholly Independent of ot any re relations re- re lations cre created le I by or de uc ble from rom the tho general act of or n Berlin which applies apples on only to Its Us Xo So nl Right Bight ht of Intervention Inter It I Is la questionable whether Iho treat treal treaty orUI lend to Intern Inter Inter- n ton uY h ro J r 1 them J Ui the r or nh or of them The he Congo Cono Free State denies an any right on their part to Interfere In Its i Is affairs and an none non of the theother other signatory powers appear to contro controvert vert that denial denial However this may b bIt bc bey It Is certain that the tho United States has n no tl treaty aly right of oC Intervention We Ve could in not nol rightfully summon or participate any international conference looking lo to intervention adjudication or enforcement of a general accord b by other African powers powers powers pow pow- ers a against the tIle Congo state stale Moreover wo we arc are without opportunity or power to investigate conditions in the Congo We Ve have no diplomatic or consular consular consular lar e representatives In that country We Ye could not nol send end an any one there without the time consent of the government of or the Congo Conso- to do io so would bo be an Invasion of Its sow sov- Other powers being parties partes to time the general act of or Berlin have ma made e In Investigations In- In through their authorized representatives representatives rep rep- g and the lie Congo government government has also sent Investigation commissions The Time Information we have hare on the thc subject of or Congo ml misrule comes conies at second hand through h opposed channels American I la Rights t guts Protected Whenever complaint has been made b by American rights or endanger American administrative conditions there here impair American rig hits his or endanger American establishments the matter has been nn and forcibly before the time Con Congo o government and has been met with will duo assurances of oC Investigation ant and If full redress substantiated ful In taking this timis course coure we act within our sovereign rights directly and without subordinating them to the time judgment of any ny third parties artes So far Car as we have hao rights of our own In the Congo it I would be Impossible to 10 submit them lo to an international In- In conference I wish irish sincerely that some pome ome way could be found U by which the whole of or Central Africa could be bi rightly a administered by bythe bythe bythe the several sever I powers ruling or exercising a controlling Influence therein so as to lo realize reallie real roal- ize lie tile the intentions of or c powers when they framed the general act of oC the Congo Much luch ma may be and doubtless Is desirable In the tho way of or good government government In n that vast region elsewhere than In the Congo If the United States ha had happened to possess pos ilos- O sos sess I In darkest Africa a territory live lve times limes as great Ireat nn and populous as the Philippines Philippines Phil Phil- we too 00 might find good government government government govern govern- ment difficult and come In for or our share ot or Just or unjust criticism No such uch responsibility re re- re- re falls fails fals on us That pertains to the time powers power who have ha e assumed control on and un undertaken b by mutual agreement to regulate regu regu- late its exercise Vcr Very ery truly trub yours Js ELIHU ROOT |