The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-12-07
PRESIDENT OF HAITI
DENOUNCES WAR POLICIES

Port au Prince, Nov. 19-The pres
ident of the republic of Haiti, Philip
Dartiguenave, sat for nearly two
hours in the reception room of his
palace the other day and discussed
with American newspaper correspon-
dents the troubles and hopes of his
people. Toward the end Ee became
extremely emphatic and bitter in de-
r1nciation of some of the American
officials with whom, as president, he
rust deal.
I'm that interview the president
said the American civil administra-
tion in Haiti was "more oppressive
than the military" criticized the acts
of the American minister, Bailly Blan-
chard. and John McIlhenny, the fnan-
c;al adviser, and said no serious meas
ures had been proposed with view to
placing Haiti's finances on a truly
solid basis).
ii was an unusual spectacle. The
president was speaking directly for
publication. After each sentence he
hesitated while the palace interpreter
translated from French into English,
and he hesitated again until his
words had been put down. A lieuten-
ant-colonel of marines, attached to
the army of occupation. now trying to
help Haiti into better paths, sat be-
side him, silent.
The room was as bare as the par
lor of boarding house in some big
industrial center. A crayon portrait
of the president was the single wall
decoration. Two pieces of furniture
that might serve as hat racks stood
against the wall, and ranged around
green rug of ordinary worth were
probably dozen chairs precisely like
those found in the dining rooms of
hundreds of humble American homes.
Their was nothing to suggest the time
honored idea that a palace of a pres
ident is filled with priceless things.
They are making handsome rosewood
fixtures in France for the palace, not
yet completed, but as it stands today
it is bare to degree.
The suit on the presidents back
was in keeping with his living sur
roundipgs. II would not cost $40 any.
where in the United States. Dart
iguenave is bachelor. around 55
years of age. Ell and his brother
the secretary of the interior, live
alone. There is no mistress of the
palace.
After the interview had drifted
along slowly for upward of an hour
the marine officer, with whom the
president is on most intimate and
friendly terms, broke in to ask if he
might not smoke. Instantly the pres
ident, gracious and smiling, was on
his feet, and stepping briskly out OF
the room, returned quickly with a
box of cigars. The box contained
what Vice President Marshall has de-
~A0A "a AAC was " SGG CULuS
back into fashion-good fl cent cigars.
interviewing a president often is a
hard-boiled proposition. but not so in
Haiti. One incident illustrates Dartig-
upenave's lack of pomp. A reporter,
scratching wildly, called for copy pa
Per, and before a fellow worker could
give aid. the president of Haiti again
was on his feet and fetched the paper
from the cabinet room nearby. You
can't beat that for presidential hospi-
ta1ity.
When the interview ended the presi-
cent piloted his visitors through the
palace, which soon will be in shape for
social happenings. There are great
reception halls and promenades and
bath rooms bigger than the place in
which the average American sleeps
The palace was planned as a palace
but it requires a wide stretch of the
imagination to figure it out as one
But it suits Dartiguenave, a man OF
simple tastes, who says his one
dream is of the day that some time
will come when his people can man
age their own affairs in peace anC
contentment.