Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-19
Naval Court Exonerates Ma
rines and commends
Rule of Island.
BUT TWO UNJUsTIFIABLE
HoMIcIDEs, SAYS REPORT
Sixteen Other Serious Acts of Vio-
lence, Each Duly Dealt With
and Guilty Punished.
BY the Associa ted Press.

yesterday that there "had been 40
PROPER grounds. for the statement by
Brig. Gen. George Barnett. former
commandant of the Marine Corps,
that the American occupation forces
had been guilty. Of, practically tndis-
criminate killing of Haitians
After careful survey of conditions
the court, presided over by Rear Ad-
miraI Henry r. Mayo, found that Gen.
Barnett's charges were "ill consfd-
cred. regrett3ble and thoroughly un-
warranted reflections" on the work Of
the Marine Corps in Haiti. adding that
the corps had performed difficult,
dangerous and delicate duty worthy
of the highest commendation.
Declines to Order Trials.
The. marines virtually were given
a clean bill by the court, which de-
clined to recommend trial by. court
martial of Freeman Lang Of Los An
geles and Doras Williams of Bir-
.mingham. Ala. charged by native
witnesses at the Port au Prince hear
ing with the murder Of Haitians. IN
deed. the Lang and Williams cases
were not mentioned, and naval officials
explained that this meant that evi-
deuce against them was not deemed
suficient to demand criminal prose-
cuticn VS.
In all isolated' cases OF unjrstf-
fable conduct by marines the court
found that disciplinary action already
had been taken. s.
The findings, as made public, were
approved by Secretary Daniels and
Mai. Gen. 4Iohn A. Lejeune. com
nnapdant Of the MArineJ Corps.
The fnlI text Of the court,s findings
fsliows: s. J
He1sef ~ sesei q & st'.sI 4. 81
each by two Of the personnel Of tn
United States naval service. which has
served in Haiti since July Is, 1915, and
that sixteen other serious acts Of yio-
lence have been perpetrated against
citizens Of Haiti during the same pe-
riod by individuals OF such personnel.
The court fnds further that these
oftenses were ali isolated acts of fntii-
yiduals and that in every case the re-
sponsible party was duly brought to
trial before general court martial.
convicted and sentenced.
.'The court has found no evidence az
the commission Of any other unjustf-
fable homicides or other serious un-
justifiable acts Of oppression or Of yio-
lence against. any Of the citizens Of
Haiti. or unjustifiable damage or de-
struction Of their property caused by
any Of the personnel in question.
'.In view Of the fact that the. only nm
justifiable acts found by the court to
have been committed are those wherein
disciplinary action has already been
taken and where no further proceedtnp.
could be had in the matter, the court
has not deemed it necessary to renort
further upon the question Of responsi-
bility. =
''Remarikable So Few Oaenses..
."Referring to paragraph 2<of the pre-
,cept, 1t Is the conclusion OF the court
that there have been no proper grounds
for the statement that practically IN.
discriminate killing Of natives has been
going on for some time.. as alleged IN
the letter from Brig. Gen. George Rar.
nett. U. 8. Marine Corps, to Col. John
H. Russell. U. s. Marine Corps.
4 referring to the amendment to IN.
precept. calling for the conclusions :,
the court as to tho general conduct
of the personnel Of the naval service
in Haiti since July 2S, 1915, the cnurt
does not consider that the small nnn.
ber Of isolated crimes or ofrenses
that have been. committed by. few
individuals of the service during the
period In question are entitled to anv
considerable weight In forming a
conclusion as tosthe general conduct
of such personnel. It was inevita ble
that some offenses would be con.
mitted. However. considering the
conditions of service In Haiti. it Ia
remarkable that the ofrenses were 40
few in number. and they all NAV
be- chargeable to the ordinary defects
of human character, such defects as
result in tho commission Of similar
offences In the United States and
elsewhere In the best regulated COM
munities
Dangerous. Thankless Task.D
"The general conduct Of our troope
Of occupation can be fairly judged by
the results of that occupation.
"Now. for the first time In more than
hundred years. tranquility and
security OF life and property may be
said to prevail in Haiti
.The Haitian people themselves VEL
coined the coming of our men ana
are unwilling to have them depart.
.The establishment and maintenanca
Of tranquil conditions and then of
security Of life and property All over
the republic Of Haiti has been An
arduous and dangerous and thankleas
task. That task our marines hav.
performed with ndelity ana Sfsat
gallantry.
~Ths court cannot refrain. from ire-