The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-15
U. s. ON VERGE OF WAR WITH GERMANY
 IN 1874, IS CLAIM
,0nflict Averted Only by European Struggle, Says
 N. Y. Paper.

The United States and Germany were on the verge of war on July 2S, 1914, as a result of the Haytien trou- bIe at that time, according to the New York Herald," and this war was only averted by the beginning f the European conflict. On that date, the day on which Austria declar- ad war on Serbia, warships of this country, under the command of Cap tain John J. Knapp. on board the Connecticut, were in the harbor Of Port au Prince, Hayti. Near them were the German cruisers Karlsruhe and Strassburg.
 Reports had reached Captain Knapp that the Germans were going to land and seize the customs house and he had received instructions from Washington to oppose the landing. On July 2S, in view of the Connecticut. boats were lowered from the German cruisers, manned with men and ma chine guns and were rowed to the shore. The Germans landed at the pier which stands at the head of the Port au Prince customs house, sig nals between them and the Karlsruhe followed and then suddenly the land ing party put back. Half an hour later the commander of the Karlsruhe called on Captain Knapp aboard the Connecticut and said that he had re- ceived orders to steam immediately to St. Thomas for coal. The night wireless dispatches after the German cruisers had left brought news of Aus tria's declaration of war.
 This is the "Herald's" story. The
 ;, r< o$ <I a secret history of the causes which have led up to the establishment of an American protectorate in Hayti. American intervention in the Domi- nican Republic and the negotiations for the purchase of the United States of the Danish West Indies" and that it is lone of the heretofore unpub- lished incidents in connection with Teutonic schemes to dominate the Caribbean Sea- the Gulf of Mexico and the Panama Canal"
 The Herald" says:-
 Subsequent developments showed that Germany has not abandoned her schemes in the Caribbean. She has but postponed her fight for suprem- acy there.
 That Germany is alive to the im- portance of obtaining a foothold in the Caribbean Sea, in Venezuela and Colombia has been shown many times. The archives of the state de- partment contain reports made from Port au Prince, Cartagena, Bogota, Caracas and Quito of German intri- que in those countries. These reports show that it was the German. minis ter, Dr. Perl. who prevented the ne- gotiations of a treaty providing for an American financial protectorate over Hayti during the administration of President Zamor. It was Dr. Perl who blocked the efforts of MT. Bailly- Blanchard. It was pr. Perl who dom- mated the government of President Zamor of Hayti. 20
 "At that same time Germany was negotiating with the Zamor govern ment for a coa1ing station at Mole St. Nicholas. Meanwhile she was scheming to carry her influence into Venezuela and Colombia. Already she had become supreme commer- cially in the Dutch and the Danish West Indies.
 Men who are we'll informed on German schemes in the Caribbean said yesterday German influences have extended through every country in the. Caribbean. to Venezuela and to Colombia. They asserted that Ger man merchants today control the trade of those countries and that Ger man ships have gone into St. Ann's Bay, on the southern side of the Isl- and of Curacao, one of the Dutch possessions, for supplies.
 According to these authorities, the Danish West Indies are not worth a dollar to the United States in so far as their commercial importance is concerned. They asserted that these islands are worth their weight in gold to the American government if it considers its defenses or the pos- abilities of International complica- tions growing out of the fight between nations for trade when the European war is ended.
 That Germany will endeavor to recover her lost supremacy following the end of the war is generally be- lieved by every man who has large interests in Latin America. They say that Germany assuredly will make new and. greater efforts to hold the key to the Panama Canal, through which the trade of the world must pass. They strongly advocate action of the United States to acquire those islands, which naval experts hold arc essential to properly safeguard the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Can al.
 Tt is not what they are worth to us in resources anad wealthy 1t wa, declared. Its what they are worth to Us in matters of defense"