The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-14
1 OF EACH 400 SLAIN
BY MARINES IN HAYTI
Continued from First Page.

CATION with the approval OF Secretary
Daniels. It was at once carried out Dy
Col. Russell who submitted report 10
the Navy Department March zo' is@o'
but Gen. Barnett said the report had not
been turned over to Marine Corps heao-
quarters I'D to last June, when ne was
succeeded as commandment Of the corps
BY Major-Gen. John A. LeJeune.
In Secretary Daniels's absence from
Washington tonight the report OF COL
Russell Oh his investigation was not
available.
In his letter to Col Russell ordering
the investigation Gen. Barnett declared
that testimony at the trials Oh the TWO
marine privates. as well as arguments
presented by counsel for th~ defence,
I.ieut r. l.. Spear. showed me that
practically indiscriminate killing of ma
tiyes has gone on for some time"
"Judging by the knowledge gained
only from the cases that have been
brought before me-" the General de-
clared. 81 think that the Marine Corps
, has been sadly lacking in right and
Justice and l look to you to see that
This is corrected, and corrected at once.
at was shocked beyond expression to
hear of such things and to know that
Il was at all possible that duty could
be so badly performed by marines OF
| any class.
IT want personal instructions sent to
every. officer and non-commissioned OFF,
Ger. both with the marines and gen.
darmerie (Haytian constabulary), that
conditions as shown by the evidence in
| the trial of the privates above referred
| to must be corrected, and that such
action cannot be tolerated for a mo-
| ment."
Natives Were Helpless.
The flashlight on what has occurred in
Hayti tells a story that has about 1t
ruthlessness with which the conquista-
dores conquered native Mexico. Thege
was about the same disparity in intelli-
gence between the invaders and the in
yaded. with the same inferiority Of
weapons possessed by the native Hay
tians. There is no reflection upon the
conduct of either naval or marine forces.
| They were there to carry out orders and
| did SO in the effective manner that Is ex-
| pectcd of marine operations anywhere.
| The attack on Port au Prince to which
Gen. Barnett refers was specific ex-
ample of the efficiency with which the
| marines handled the situation. The
American forces occupying Port au
| Prince learned that a body of native
| troops was advancing to attack the city.
| The Americans posted themselves to
| command the road with rifles and ma
chine guns, with the result that the
| Haytian attackers were almost annihi-
| lated.
The report of Gen. Barnett, preceded
by that Of Gen. lie Jeune. is evidently
part OF programme on the part of the
Administration to put the occupation OF
the island in as good light as possible
Gen. Barnetts report apparently went
into details too thoroughly to meet all
requirements. John A. McIlhenny,
United States agent in charge OF n
nances, has been summoned to Wash
.ington by the State Department to aid
In making up the final report on the
situation.
Conflicts With Hague Laws.
The Administration course in Hayu
has become live issue ever since crit
cent speech by Senator Harding. The
Administration undoubtedly expects to
show that peace has been attained In
lawless community, but the question
which has not been approached Is by
what authority the occupation OF the
island was made. Neitrer has 1t been