Slave trafficking and forced labor in Liberia

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CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT IN LIBERIA, HERE: T. J. R. FAULKNER ADMITS ... Afro-American (1893-1988); Jul 20, 1929; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Afro-American pg. 1

CANDIDATE FOR1 PR.ESIDENT IN LIBERIA, HERE

T. J. R. Faulkner Admits Vir• tual Slave Traffic in West

Africa,

KING IS BLAMED

President Gets $15 for Each

Laborer Shipped Out.

Traffic in forced labor, amounting virtually to slavery, exists in Liberia,

according to Thomas J. R. Fa.ulkner, now visiting

friends in Baltimore.

Mr. Faulkner was born in North Carolina, married a Baltimo,·e girl and took her with him to Liberia ma- ny years ago. Ile is now a full fledg- ed Liberian citizen and was 11. candi- date of the Pe.:iple's Party for presi• dent two years ago.

Before coming he:e he travelled for several weekfi in Europe and ex•• pects to return there some time next October. ·

Forced Labor Mr. Faulkner admitted that Ray-

mond Leslie Buell makes a co1Teci statement in hL5 new book, "The ~a- tive Problem 'n Africa," concerning the system of forced labor in Liberia.

A!; a resttlt of this, Mr. Faulkner says, workers are leaving the country in large numberfi rather than remain to be :torced into slav.:rv. The conn-. try is fast becoming depopulated.

1, census, he sai:l. would probably show that instead of 1,500,000 people In Liberia, the population is nearer to soo,ooo.

, The Syste1.1. Explained Explaining the system, Mr. Fa~·.IJc-

ner said, "Natives are forced to work on th~

roads nine mon~hs of the year. The;/ are compelled to fum!l!ih their own tools in this work and receive no compensation whatever.

Chiefs Fined . "Upon failure of tha chief to sup-

ply the demanded numb~r of men, he is at once Mavily fined and forced to pay cash or go to jail. Often these men are compelled to pawn their wives and ch!IC:ren to get money to pay their fines.

"Natives are-frequently whipped ;o severely· on the roads that they die from injuries. 'No official · report, however. is made, because of the high, government oftl.clals impl!cated. /

President Kini:' Ir.voh·ed · "Coupled with this condition of/

forced labor, is the more pernicious, activity in the fonn of shipping la- borers to the SP.!l,nish Island of Fer- nanda I'o. This is" :ca:ii.'led"on thru

, the office of the Liberian government i and it is impossible tc ask the courta. 1 the legislature or' any· other official ! bo~v to interfere. , , · "Spaniards pay $50 for each Llbe• rian laborer they secure .. Of this a- mount of'':money ~15 1roes to Presi- dent King, Sl5 to the-shipping agent, $15 to be divided among a numbe:: of petty officials and five dollars to the headman of the tribe who picks out the ne.tives.

Officials Ate Shipplng Agents "Allen C. Yancey, vice president or

Liberia, is the shippiru!: .agent for the county of Maryland:·-samuel A. Ross., postmaster general is shioping agent for the countv of Sinoe. These agents are appointed bv King, ·

"Secretarv of State, Edwin Barclay, gets 10 shlllillgs arid. John L. Morris, serreta.ry ·of public. works, five shlll- ln!?s for each. boy shipped.

"Former native African commis- sioner-general, Reginald G. Shennan, wa.s d !~missed from office by Presi • dent Kint? -;vhen Sherman proteste,1 ai;ainst the . traffic: in ,laborers.'"

. Hope Through Pcoule's Part:, , It is only through the People's Par- ty. Mr. Faulkner said, that any relief can come to Liberi.'!. President King

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KING INVOLVED IN LIBERIAN · FORCED LABORi

(Continued from page one)

ls supported by the Whig Party. In violation of the Liberian un-

written · iaw, which is similar to the American·· unwritten law, President King ·has · permitted himself to be re-elect'ed· for ·a third term.

lie may seek to perpetuate himself in office.

He is able to do·thi.s, Mr. Faulkner said. because there, are virtually no positions available· in Liberia. except government positions which the pres- ident controls absoluteh·. . . 21 CongrtJ;smen

Besides members of the cabinet. petty government officials and the court, Liberia has 21 representatives. and 10 senators who receive $2,000 a month for four or five weeks work.

The president, himself, draws a salary of jjl5,000, plus an allowance of $5,000 for tra velllng and various other perquisjtes, bringing his total remuneration to arot:nd $30,000.

Salaries Unpaid White financial advisors, supervi-

sors of custom, suoervisors of inter- nal revenue. electrical engineers and so . on, all of, them officials from A- merica, appointed under the Liberian loan agreement, cost the government in salaries and maintenance $100,000 a year.

' So great Is the drain on the na- , t.lonal resources. Mr. Faulkner savs, tha.t on May 23rd when he left the

I Reoubllc, the salaries for April had

I

not bl)en paid. Wholesale Votin,:- Fraud

i had no chance of defeating the Whig· , Mr. Faulkner said his own nartv narty in election because of fraud, perpetuated bv President King. He pointed out that in 1919 the voting strength of Liberia was '7,000.

"Legal voters are men · nast the a.gP. of 21. who, own uroJ)P.rt.v in their own name$, the deed and fee ~imole hav- ine- been registered and probated. Without a deed no one ~an register and no ,me can vote who has .not registered.

Vo~ Jwn11 "In 1923. Mr. King received 40,000

and his noponent Harmon. '7.000 votes "In 1927 the n~11• reached the a-

mazing total of King 235,000 and Faulkner 9.000.

"Today there are not more than 10.000 voter.~ in all Liberia lnri King is elected throuah the use of fraud. deceit and bribery.

"Col. T. Ellwood Davis. PTP•idential

I aide. remarked he irave Mr. Killil 40,000 odd votes In ·1923 and 200,000

! in 192'7." BMes ~tu,IYed

Explalnina- the L!herlan frau.d ner- "Of'trated. Mr. Faulkner said that "riien were permitted to vote il5 often as thev desired ovPr and OV1!1' aflltin. Ticltet.• werP stuff Pit i.,to the ballot box before th"? nous opened. durinir the recess and. after the poll.s were closer!..

"After the noll.s were closed. Wb~ tickets were put in and People's Pa.rty ticket,; werP taken out.

3,ooo voters-,z.noo Ba.llo~ "In one co11ntv alone. there are

nnly :l.000 leiral votl'rs, The reflister for the la.st election heln. 32.000

' n11,mP.s and votes as reported were '72.000.

"These ballot bo,ces when nnened In the nre.~ence of th"! 1elrislature. r.onrelned thousands of ballot.s whlr.h h11d never been cut nor marltt'!d. All nf them. h'lwever, were counted for President King.>1