The Washington herald., 1915-08-08
HAITI ELECTION
HALTED BY j. s.
Selection of President, Plan
ned for Today, Has Been
Postponed Indefinitely.
CAPERTON EXTENDSRULE
U. S. to Decide on Policy in Haiti
Before Election Will Be
Permitted.
CAPERTON EXTENDSRULE

The election of a president for Haiti
arranged by the Haitiars in Port au
Prince for today. will not take place at
this time.
Admiral Caperton reported yesterday
that the election, which was to have
been made by the Haitian Congress. has
been indefinitely postponed. II is under
stood that Admiral Caperton was respon-
sible for the Haitian political leaders
abandoning their program.
1t Is considered by Admiral Caperton
and also by the administration at Wash
ington that il would be most inopportune
to have the Haitians choose a president
in the present state of affairs in the
negro republic. American forces are rap
idlp extending their control over Haiti.
and will continue 10 do so until all dis
orders and abortive attempts of the
Haitians to use force to settle there po-
litical issues have been ended. 1t is also
considered most desirable that no action
be taken with reference to the presl-
dency until the United States govern
ment has definitely decided on its policy
in Haiti.
Decision May BE Deferred.
That this decision may be deferred for
some time is now believed here. II has
been indicated that The policy of the .ad-
ministration at present would be TO let
Admiral Caperton proceed with his most
effective measures for the restoration of
peace and order in the negro republic
before attempting any decision as to
political affairs The question is only
one of degree. 1t has already been de-
termined that the American forces shall
not leave Haiti until some arrangement
has been effected by which better condi-
tons may be assured for the future. It
has not yet been determined. however,
to what lengths it may be necessary for
this government to go in order to achieve
this object.
Scion Menos. Haitian Minister to the
United States. called at the State De-
partment yesterday to discuss the Sit
uation with Secretary Lansing. Act
ing on representations made to him by
a group of Haitians of prominence in
Port au Prince the Minister urged
that some assurance be given the
Haitian people that the United States
has no intentions of effecting any
permanent impairment of the SOW
reignty of Haiti 1t is understood that
Secretary Lansing did not go further
than to assure the Haitian Minister
that the United States desires nothing
for itself in Haiti.
According to Admiral Caperton. quiet
again prevails in Port au Prince and
Cape Haitien. There was some shoot
ing Friday, in which two Haitians
were killed by the American forces.
The fighting occurred when Admiral
Caperton's forces moved upon the Of
flee of the port and took charge of 1t.
Practically all the port and other civil
government branches of the capital
are now in the hands of the American
forces, under command of Capt. Beach.
of the cruiser Washington. Friday
the Haitian gunboat Pacifique arrived
at Port au Prince from Cape Haitien
and was taken over by the Americans.
t-lmiral Caperton had ordered all
sos1iers not residents of Port au
Prince to leave the city. There has
been some resistance to this order. and
the American authorities have placed
under arrest all Haitian soldiers found
in the city in violation of the admirals
commands.