The New York herald., 1921-05-09
PROBE CALLED JOKE
To Demand That U. S. Re-
move It's Military Forces
From Republic.
NEW ELECTION is SOUGHT
Assert That American Troops
Forced Ratification of
New Constitution.

WASHINGTON, May 8.-IharglnS
long series of atrocities by American
marines and the native gendarmerie
In Hayti and demanding the with
Grawal OF the United States military
forces from that republic. three Hay
tian delegates are in Washington to
present a memorial to President Har-
ding, the state Department and Con-
gress.
The memorial reviews the five years
Of military occupation OF Hayti and
declares that 1t is "the most terrible
regime of military autocracy which
has ever been carried on In the name
Of the great American Democracy"
The naval investigation Of conditions
In the Republic ordered bv Secretary
Daniels last year and conducted by
board under Rear Admiral Mayo Is
characterized as Joke" and Rear Ad-
rnirai Knapp Is accused of having done
nothing at all" when he visited Haiti
under orders from Secretary Daniels
to make personal inquiry.
Say Charges Were CLOSED Over.
'The Haitian people feol" says the
memorial. that Ii the naval court Oh
inquiry has not fulfilled IN Haiti the
broad mandate conferred upon II by Mr..
Josephus Daniels II Is because il was
faced with charges OF s1ich horrible
nature that It thought best to pass then,
over in silence"
Among the acts charged against the
American occupation OF Haiti are
Administration OF the water
cure and other tortures by Ameri-
can officers and marines and the
commission Of numberless abomina-
Bile crimes" of which twenty-five
cases. with names and dates, are
given in the memorial
Removal Of 100000 of Haitian
Government funds which american
marines carried off "and took on
board the gunboat Machias." and
which were deposited IN New York
bank ito force the Haitian Govern
rnent to accept control OF the cus-
toms house by systematically depriv-
Ing Ii OF financial resources
Entrance by Brigadier General
Smed'ey d. Butler on June 1s 1917.
revolver in hand. followed bv
American officers armed with Their
revolvers' into the Haitian Legs-
lative chamber and dissolution by
force of the Haitian Legislative As
eembly.
f<hAoitSQ tdllAf'dtipIl On JUllf IL,
1918. OF new Haitian constitution,
with marines presiding at the ballot
boxes. only ballots bearing the word
sYes" being issued.
Exclusion from the naval court OF
Inquiry of "all Haitians who had
anything to say regarding the nu-
merous cases OF murder bruta fly,
arson. &c. that Is, OF Haitians who
wished to convince the court OF In
quiry Of the way in which the forces
OF occupation had carried out their
duty to Haiti
Furthermore. II Is charged that more
than 1000 prisoners died in 1918. 1919
and 1920 In the prisons at Cap Haitlen
and that "at Chabert. an American camp,
5,475 prisoners died during these three
years"
The ghastly mortality in the prisons"
continues the memorial, together with
confirmation by survivors. reveals rec
ord Of atrocities, or brutality and cruelty
which dehes description. II Is record
for which It would be difficult to find
parallel"
Alleged Crimes Reviewed.
The memorial concludes by stating
that during the five years OF American
occupation. Hayti has passed through
such sacrifices tortures, distractions, hu-
fore been known In the course of its
unhappy history"
For these wrongs and injuries" the
Haytian people ask reparstion says the
memorial, and they also request:
Immediate abolition OF martial law
law and courts-martial.
Immediate reorganization OF the
Haytian police and military FORGET
and withdrawal within short period
OF the American military forces
Abrogation OF the convention of
1915 under which American military
occupation began.
Convocation within a short period
OF constituent assembly with all
guarantees of electoral liberty.
The Haytian delegates sent here to pre-
sent the memorial are II. Pauleus San
non. former Haytian Secretary for For
elsn Affairs and once Haitian Minister
10 the United states; Stenio Vincent
former President OF the Haytian Senate.
and Percival Thoby. former Haytian
Charge d'Anaires at washington. They
represent the Patriotic Union OF Hayti,
described as non-partisan organization
founded at Port au Prince in 1920 and