Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-09-13
haiti MAKING
GERMANY PAY
May Seize S2O,0O0,OO0 For
a Debt Of $4,000.
REVENGE MANY YEARS LATE

Diplomat Recalls How Little Nation
Was HumiIiated at the Hands of the
self In a Position to Collect the Debt
With a Tremendous Rate of Interest.
In explaining why Haiti severed dip
Icmatic relations with Germany, Solon
Aksnes, Haitian minister to the United
Fxtes, disclosed an interesting bit of
diplomatic history. He shows how the
kaiser is being forced to pay the penal
u for acts of unwarranted frightful
ness committed against the republic
OF Haiti twenty years ago.
IN December, 1897, when Mr. Menos
vwas minister for foreign affairs, the
German emperor forced Haiti to pay
$4,000 and humiliated the nation by
forcing profuse and ceremonial apollo
giles under threat of bombardment of
the National palace and the city of
Port au Prince by German warships.
Now Haiti may force the kaiser to pay
S30, 100000 in return. German financial
interests in Haiti make it easy for this
salm to be collected, it is explained.
German Attacks Police.
The trouble between Germany and
Haiti started on Sept. 81, 1897, when
Count Schwerin, the German chal ge
d'affaires, came to Mr.. Menos to p o
test against the arrest by the Halt n
police of a German named Emile ] u
@xiers- Luders' coachman, Dorleus Pre-
sumo, had been caught stealing. When
the police sought to arrest him the
German attacked the police and was
himself arrested.
Count Schwerin did not deny the
justice of the acts of the Haitian au-
,zhorities, but took the stand that no
German should be made amenable to
the law for ordinary people, especially
II the German happened to be man
OF Luders' standing.
Dir. Menos told Count Schwerin that
ne would do everything possible to
could not disregard Haitian laws with
xE1t an investigation. Meanwhile Lu-
'ders was tried and found guilty and
was sentenced to imprisonment.
Count Schwerin demanded a new
trial, with the immediate release of Lu-
'ders. Approaching the menacing atti-
tude Of the German diplomat, Mr.. Me
mos arranged for new trial at once.
Wakens President Sam.
Later Count Schwerin, in the full uni
form of a uhlan, galloped up to the i'm
perial palace after President Sam had
retired and demanded an audience.
The count presented demand from
THE kaiser for the immediate liberation
OF Luders, the dismissal Of the judge
who had sentenced him and the punish
ment Of all the police instrumental in
bringing about his arrest
I'm the name of my august master
the Emperor William, I will wait until
Tomorrow noon for my reply" the count
said upon leaving.
The Haitian authorities were astound-
ed by this action. 1t was diplomatic
usage for any foreign diplomat to COM
amunicate with the president through
the minister for foreign affairs, and
Menos felt deeply hurt.
But the Haitian leaders saw the dom
zneering tactics employed by the Ger
zaan government and recognized the
Haitian people were absolutely at the
mercy of Germany The American
minister, Mr.. Powell, and others coun-
seled the release of Luders as the sim
plest means of staving off further trou-
Ole 1t was known Germany had sew
eral cruisers in adjacent waters and
that any pretext would be seized to ad-
sertise German militarism.
New Ultimatum Sent.
accordingly the Haitian authorities
bowed to Germany's ultimatum, and
Mr.. Menos informed Count Schwerin.
The count officially declared the Incl
dent closed, but within few hours he
received another cable from Ibis au-
gust master which caused him to
come post haste to Mr.. Menos.
He had been premature in accepting
haltrs agreement to the ultimatum,
: me explained. A new ultimatum had
gust arrived. 1t demanded $4,000 pay
3saent to Luders, an agreement by Haiti
I'D give him special privileges, an apol-
ogy by Haiti to the emperor and a
ceremonial public apology to himself
Count Schwerin) by the president,
This put matters in new light, for
Haiti could not agree to pay indem-
atty for carrying out it's own laws
without humiliating itself before its
= own people and before the world.
While these deliberations We're going
nn Count Schwerin Informed Mr.. Me-
nos that he was going aboard a Ger
znan %afship and would be heard from
tater. TJ2 Dec. 6 the German warships
Charlotte rtlld Stein arrived at Port au
: '2rince cleared for action.
IA note came from Counr Schwerin
Saying that diplomatic relations be.
NsTeen Germany and Haiti were severed
'EEQ would remain severed until Haiti