The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1920-11-13
WaAI 10 DO IN HAITI

mlngO have at last been b-Ougn
publicly to the attention oi tnt
American people the question now
IS, what IS the American people 90
Ing TO DO about it2 Ii Is not enough
iO send half q dozen admirals and
major generals investigating, with
lDe inevitable result Of more or
less whiie-washing reports. The
important question is. what shall
be American policy toward the Car
ribean republics whose lndepend-
ence We have taken from them and
whose government is now in the
hands Of tine United States Marine
Corps?
Investigation there must be, and
| consequently punishment but the in
Vestigation should be made by Con-
greSS and not by interested parties.
and the punishment must not be
confined 60 Isolated cases Of boys,
who, taking from their SuperiOrs
the current attitude Of contempt
/ for the natives, were guilty OF eN-
ceSses such as have in all times
| characterized all armies Of O-cu-
I patton lOrding il over suppressed
/ peOpe. Nor sHCuid Ienuuel st,..
/ even with a few brutal neuttnanr
| NIth possibly captain or two or
major 10 give an appcaraL,, u.
| thorough eNpiatlOn. lhe iInda-
mental atrocIty OF American rIle IN
nau anu Sdn.O iJo.ini.-o d., ,.- tc
~ fact OF uut..4..
/ tuII-rCn la,..t t...D ..r
ing Of unarmed prisoners or brutal
IA torture. IL VIII take a broad
minded committee of the ableSt men
! N COngrcSs-men without color
prejudice-to study the question
IN It's largest aspect. There must
DC no Sucn haSiy generalization as
characterized that bold Congress
sional committee which reported
on conditions IN the VI gin l-.-....
after spending thirty hours there |
If such a committee is not appoiSt- /.
ed by Congress in It's coming seS- |
sion the Republicans will convict |
themselves Of having exploited the |
agony of a subject people merely |
for campaign material.
Haitians have indeed reioiced
that their case has at last cont be-
that their case has at last come be-
world. The Nation IS proud Of its
share in bringing this about But
publicity is of valut to the HaitianS
only as first step toward their
which it is now
americas solemn duty to guaran-
zee effectively and for all time as ,
a pledge OF our good faith and as /
p"ruaI atonement for our bastard
y assault upon it. The United States I
.iuSi Tclle from Haiti at the earI-
i0't PoSSIDle moment. Meanwhile IL
20 oui cIear duty to repair tht dam !
'7e uoie, 10 indemnify the inno- 7
ei l'lcllinS OF wanion brutality. to d
hu III restoring the government we :
i"Nc demolished and to re-establiSh Y
ne economic and financial Struc- II
ure OF the COunry. While never -
.~lld the economic status of Haiti
las IN no wise been strengthened
'hu IN many respects il has been -,
weakened by the exploiting inter d
SIS Whlch nave sought to enirench "
hemSelves under cover Of our oc s.
.upatIon. Our first step should be ~
ne Withdrawal of our military and p
laval forces, II is question. of r
curse, whether such withdrawal
an be made suddenly. The curse n
f military rule, as has been shown
ii over the world, N that il leaves -
narchy and upheaval in its wake.
I The United States withdrawS its
roops suddenly from country
.-hoSe stlf governing functions have /.
'een atrophied for five years and
>hoSe people have been made re-
entful by cruel oppression, grave
disorders might conceivably follow
n fact there are ugly TumorS that ..
hose deSirouS Of maintaining our 5
Legitimate hold upon Haiti perma :
entiy, plan some such course in s
rider to justify prompt reoccopa- I
ion. But no such consideration 8
hOuld for a moment obscure the =
ecesSity of declaring in unmistak- /
bic terms our purpose of with :
rawing within definite and COM i
al atively short period of time =
hree to five years at the utmost 4
nd Of utilizing the interval for in ,
iligent reconstruction. We did IL
n Cuba, we can do it again. 1t .
hould be our pride to do so. Z
The Task of reeStabliShing civil :
overnment should be entrusted to
)int commissions of Americans and 5
Italians or DominicanS; and after :
ne Wars in which we have sent 1
deserving Democrats" and parish :
to TIE unhappy island,
nc naming of the American mem
erS would give opportunity to re- /
tore our reputation in Latin-Amer- ;
"a. There should be both white Z
nd Colored Americans among 4
EN-. Such joint commission :
ould proceed to the task of holding <
or local elections, then I
rovincial. where such are in or )
er, and finally to the election of =
ew national assemblies which s
aid replace the caprice of martial :
M and "pNacuIi,o or1o,,, IN