The Eastern Congo 



The Belgian Colonial Minister has long ago realised the 

 value of colonial propaganda ; hence one hears and reads 

 vastly more than one used to a few years ago of the progress 

 of Congoland, to the benefit of both Belgium, the Belgian 

 Congo and African affairs in general. The Congo is losing 

 its bad name under this influence and attracting a better 

 class to the territory ; even one hears, although with much 

 scepticism, of Belgian settlers. I say " with scepticism " 

 as it is not in the nature of Belgians to settle abroad ; few, 

 if any, make of their work in their African possession a life 

 career. 



In all this, Minister Franck has perhaps some of the 

 ablest and wealthiest advisors and coadjutors of the present 

 day, in the persons of King Albert and the directors of the 

 many concessionnaires and other companies connected with 

 the Congo, amongst whom are found such names as Mr. 

 Robert Williams, the Right Hon. Earl Grey, Lord Leverhulme, 

 the American magnate Mr. Guggenheimer, the brothers 

 Jadot and Mr. Robert Goldschmidt, as well as the many 

 shrewd members of the Belgian African Club and the Union 

 Coloniale Beige. Then again General Malfeyt, General Tom- 

 beur. Colonel de Meulemeester and Colonel Moulaert are 

 colonial administrators of tried ability. The appointment 

 of Monsieur Lippens to be Governor-General of the Congo, 

 although unpopular with many colonial^Belgians (as he has had 

 little to do up to now with African affairs) is nevertheless 

 likely to prove a suitable one, as colonial administration 

 more than any other is inclined to get into a rut and " new 

 blood " is eminently desirable in a tropical colony. I am 

 therefore entirely in agreement with Monsieur Franck's 

 lately expressed views to the Press on the appointment. 



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