The_Open_Door_deel1

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Following the publication of the Christy Report the Liberian
House of Representatives started the procedure to impeach
President King. The latter hastily resigned. He thus escaped a
public trial as Article I, Section 7 of the Liberian Constitution
reads:
"No person shall Le held to answer for a capital or infamous
crime, except in cases of impeachment."
Vice-President Yancy made the same decision, defended and advised
by his cousin, the lawyer William V.S. Tubman. Both resigned
in early 1930 and the then Secretary of State, Edwin
Barclay, became the country's new President. Thus the Liberian
Constitution was violated as it stipulates that the Speaker of
the House of Representatives is to succeed to the Presidency in
such a case.
Liberia had signed the Anti-Slavery Convention of 1926. Article V
of this Agreement provides that
"It is agreed that subject to the transitional provisions
laid down in paragraph (2) below, compulsory or forced
labour may only be exacted for public purposes."
In reality, however, compulsory labour for private purposes of
Liberian officials was common throughout the republic, and only
tribal people were made to suffer.
But not only Americo-Liberians benefited from the fruits of
forced labour. A large foreign private enterprise installed in
Liberia since 1926 was also involved, as the Christy Report stated:
"Labour for private purposes is forcibly impressed by the
Government, and used in the 7irestone Plantations". (49)
It was pointed out by a former Vice-President of Liberia (1944 -
1951) that since the U.S. Government had supported Firestone's
plans and ambitions from the beginning of its operations, it too
was to be criticised in this respect (50).
Since its arrival Firestone had used forced labour - recruited for
it by the host Government - which (eventually) contributed greatly
to its huge profits. Therefore, a further look into "Firestone's
Labour Recruitment Policy 1926 - 1962" is more than justified.
Firestone's Labour Recruitment Policy 1926 - 1962
At first it is puzzeling as to why a large scale and labour-intensive
economic venture which was rubber production was introduced
into West Africa in a region which is relatively sparse in population,
i.e. in Liberia. As explained in Chapter 3, climatic conditions
in the area, a soil suitable for the production of rubber,
the belief that labour was sufficiently available, and the cooperation
of certain Government officials mainly accounted for
the start of large scale commercial rubber production in Liberia.
In the 1920's, however, no reliable data with respect to the
country's population and its labour potential were available. The
Liberian Government had never carried out the constitutional obligation
to take a Population Census at least every ten years. It