Evening star., 1918-07-28

to affirm the tendency to
Latin American solidarity
She Is the twenty-second nation now
at war with Germany.
The declaration of war recently
made by the black republic is the Sc
quence of a chain of events. These
have followed tho usual order-that
is. the breaking OF Of diplomatic rela-
tions and then the formal declaration
of war.
It is more than a year since Haiti
severed diplomatic relations with Ger.
many. This was in June. 1917. Germany
had given a grievance, in the interna-
tional sense. by the losses to Haitian
commerce and life inflicted by her
submarine warfare. Haiti demanded
.reparation and promises for the fu-.
ture, just as the great neutral ma.
tions, such as the United States. had
demanded. and she got even less sat
isfactlon in the way Of false assur-
ances than had been given them.
~
8 The Berlin foreign Office at the time
explained that the demands were
couched in an unusual form and de.
manded fulfllment which would not
allow even time for examination. and,
therefore. the Imperial German gov,
ernment deemed 1t proper to hand the
charge daffaires his passport, Haiti
already had ousted the German rep
resentatives.
The Haitian government based It's
specific grievance against Germany on
ihe death Of eight Haitians who were
on the French steamship Montreal
when that vessel was torpedoed by .
German submarine. President Oar.
tiguenave, In message to the Haitian
congress, had recommended an i'm.
mediate declaration Of war. but the
congress first ordered q full investi-
cation and appointed q commission to
study the question. This commission
doubted whether there was sumcient
ground for an actual declaration OF
war.
Later. events seem to have been ac-
cepted as conclusive. Under ths new
Haitian constitution there Is a coun-
ell of state which Is invested with
pretty broad legislative powers. 1t
s this body which has unanimously
roted the declaration Of war upon
dent. Consequently Haiti. is now
'uIl-fedged belligerent In SO Gar as
:-elates to Germany.
Viewed In the Light OF the military re-
sources into play which this action OF
Haiti brings against her. 1t IL not likely
hat Germany will worry. but there are
hIn1, ftyvTr fot1 q
';-round for disquiet. These are Of an
economic character. Haiti has been a
pretty good market for German prod
icts, and Germany has reaped consider
=;hle profits from the Haitian products
hat she has handled, as well as from
.er financial operations.
She has been as intolerant there as In
ather Latin American countries In seek
ng to use the financial obligations to
German subjects as a means OF coercion.
More than once In the past the gov,
"rnment Of the United States has had
put Its foot down on prospective Ger
nan aggressions These included the
anding Of German forces and the posi-
Re occupation Of Haitian territory.
Unfortunately. the anarchy. both f1nan.
,:ome Justification for stringent action
- other powers. but the policy Of the
american government was not to allow
Germany to gain a territorial foothold
IN Haiti, any more than TO ODtDaln
coaling station at Margarita, of the
Venezuelan coast.
i
+
Consequently, Germany was nado to
understand that while such legitimate
grievances as she had would be ad-
justed, she would not be allowed 70 use
them as a means of establishing herself
in West Indian waters. The rsspon-
s,bilities Of the United States in safe
guarding the Panama Canal in itself
would not permit such a course to be
taken. Cert any was insolent and arro-
giant toward Haiti. but she never got to
the point where she was ready to make
a direct issue with the United States.
She was able, however, internationally
TO make out strong claim for redress.
lust as was France, which had even
greater interests IN Haiti than Germany.
The international complications that
were always threatening Undoubtedly
had much to do with the stringent
policy which President Wilson's ad-
ministI alton adopted. and which was
more padical than any action taken by
President Taft in his dealings with the
trouble makers among. the Latin Amer
lean countries. When the American
II t.. II Ir<lA rrrnHF 4