Labor Conditions in Katang

UNION MINIERE D HAUT-KATAIGA operates a group of mines and metallurgical works in the Katanga province of the Belgian Congo. It is especially prominent as a copper producer, but its output of accessory metals, such as cobalt, radium, silver, tin and gold have been considerable. The Belgian Congo covers 920,000 sq. mi. of central Africa, with a native population of about 8,500,000. In addition, Belgium controls by mandate the districts of Ruanda-Urundi (formerly a part of German East Africa) with an area of some 20,000 sq. mi. and a population of about 3,500,000 natives. Most of the native population of the Belgian Congo is found on the wide fertile plains of the great rivers, living under primitive conditions in a tropical climate, where it has survived throughout the centuries in spite of tropical diseases and intertribal wars. In more recent times, especially during the last two centuries, 'the natives have been subjected to frequent raids by the slave traders, which made their existence even more precarious, and if continued much longer would probably have resulted in their complete extermination.