New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
Marine Rule in
West Indies Is
I1ndcrFmeHcre
Sneakers at Free Nations
League Dinner Both De-
fend and Attack Policy i'll
Hayti and Sanso Domingo
officials Are Criticized
Work of Troops Is Praised:
Dominican Ex-President
Says L. S. Will Be Just

American occupation of Hayti and
ssn.o Domingo WAS both attacked and
dsfended at the luncheon OF the League
a: Free Nations Association. at the
Hotel Commodore yesterday. Some
sneakers assailed the conduct of the
American officials in those countries
ss autocratic and indefensible. while
ofbcrs championed it on the ground
nat American occupation is making
:or the ultimate good Of the natives.
The course of the American marines
:, uav.. was termed by some speakers
ss bcirg on The whole commendable
qithouch cases of 7justice and op-
nression were adm. ted Harry A.
F-anck. author OF Nagabonding
through the West IndAs', said that not
more than 10 or Il ps cent O. the
American forces of occur .tion in Hayti
we're guilty Of the charg, OF cruelty
and oppression made recel.- -ly by per
sons who investigated the si'ration.
Most Of the speakers, however,
AGREED that the administral. of
Hsyti by the higher American OH. .'als,
on the ground and in Washington. ers
Inefficient Among those who expresse
this belief was Judge Otto Schoenrich,
an authority on the West Indies. Pro.
lessor william K. Shepherd, of Colum.
Dia, presided.
Says Occupation Is Inevitable
c. Lathrop Stoddarl declared that
American occupation OF Hayti and
santo Domingo was inevitable and was
brought about by the failure of the
natives and their leaders to show any
Advancement IN self rule or civiliza-
ton in general within the past $50
wears. He said that American occu-
patton must continue for some time,
and that two generations must pass
before the people viii be sufficiently
advanced in the customs, habits and
principles OF Western civilization.
The Rev. A r. Gray secretary for
Latin America Of the Department OF
Missions Of The Protestant Episcopal
Church, said that the fundamental
question 10 be consid dered was not
whether the American marines in Hayti
we're or were not guilty o. indiscrim
mate killings. hut that Of policy
Dr. Gray said that the American oc-
eupation OF Hayti was justified both
by the necessities Of the United States
and Hayti itself. He said that before
the American occupation sanitary and
economic conditions were such as tc
endanger the best interests Of both
peoples, and that America vas particu-
larly concerned in Hayti because i,
constituted an important point in the
protection OF the Panama Canal.
Gray Praises Marine Corps
@F-onl personal observation ard from
corroSoration Of my observations sale
Dr. Gray, Il can say that the Marine
Corps Is body 10 be proud OF. With
sorrow I grant that big blundars have
been made, bat what is not brought
out in the newspapers is that those ir
authority over the blunderers have
been as much disgusted with them as
is anybody here and that they have
acted accordingly. What you read il
the papers about the enforcement OF
Dr.. Gray said that most of the
mitEed two years ago and that those
responsible had been dismissed.
Jane Weldon Johnson, secretary o
the National Association for the Ad
vancement e Colosed People, who re
Gently returned from Hayti, challenged
the position Of Dr. Gray, and charged
tha. the United States Is acting il
haytl for selfish purposes only. H.
said that til American officials have
lnr osed IN Hayti constitution re
!ected hy tie Nart;-n Assembly. ant
have virtually wiped out all self-gov
esanent 0y the h4vtia1s
Hr. Johnson defended the Haytian