New-York tribune., 1922-05-28


protests and special pleas in
conectlon with our "occupa-
ton" Of Hayti and Santo Domingo.
P,!biic discussion of our relations
with these two turbulent republics has
beer SO largely influenced by political
G. partisan propaganda that our OBJ
lss.ions 20 ourselves, the world a.
large ard to these people has been to
4. large eNtent obscured'
The obvious reason for 81 least enc
hsf o. the misunderstanding and,
troubles. real or imagined. has beer
apparently lack Of any clear idea tof
Just what our reasons were for in
.ervening Find what was TO be ourvpro-
gram after intervention.
Il Washington understood These I'm
prtant matters. the powers that be-"
or were, have apparently jealousy
guarded tte secret even from their
own accrc d5ted agents Whether we
!nteryeued in Hayti and Santo Do
nngo on account Of pressure from
EuNpe, as. has been stated. or to pro-
tsct our conception Of the Monroe
Docrine, is immateria.
Every Intelligent student OF Latin
American. affairs has for years real
lied that II the Monroe Doctrine. meant
anything; at all, intervention was in
svitahle., The questions in the minds
o. most thinking people who are IA
millar with the situation is not "Whv
did we intervene?" but "Why did we
delay Intervention until it WAS prac-
tcal!y forced upon us ~
An equally pertinent question might
be, why did not the government. after
intervening, take the American people
into l3s confidence and in the plain
lght 81 day plan and inaugurate a def
inite constructive program?
Events Forced United States
To Intervention in Havti
TIE Intervention in Hayti was forced
upon US by events over which we had
no control. The time had arrived when
We could not longer sit tight and look
WITH indifference on the spectacle pre-
"n0ed by the chaotic condition of rev
Mtlons and bankruptcy which had
ee:ume chronic in the Haytian irepub-
h.
We had assumed the position that
Interference by European nations in
Latin America was violation of the
Monroe Doctrine, for which most of us
are prepared to fight
interference from some source was
necessary and inevitable and in a
some meVhat desultory fashion we inter
yeneG. Our intervention was. at the
time, thankfully accepted by terri
FED and despafring people. But it has
snce been we'll esta hished that our
Program was not effective, and that it
has satisfied neither Of the contracting
parties
The recent Senatorial investigation
has pointed out some edies-the
first Of which has been adopted. A
hlgn commissioner has been appointed
and, i is hoped, endowed with powers
IS adequate as are his we'll proven
Capabilities
The Hay'ians have Just elected a
new president. They have chosen a
man with distingu ished record for
pubic service His position toward
me Intervention is shown by the fact
mat he was largely instrumental IN
'ae ratification OF the Haytian- Amer
e!Fn affairs signed il in 1915
ihere is no fundamental rea son why
"e unquostionabiy benefcent objects
o. ;hls treaty SHOULD not be achieved.
and the Haytian republic eventually
paced on secure footing Of complete
independence. No American of intel
Hgence, of knowledge of the situation
mas ever suggested that we remain
'srmanently in Hayti and no intelli-
cent haytian honestly believes that we
"olid withdraw until stable and
solvent government has been estab-
lished
IN the IL years since the French
we're driven from the island. the Hay
uan people have been governed by
'"ehty-seven rulers, including two en-
pefors and one king.
Boyer, the second president of the
Hepuollc OF Havti, ruled as dictator
'of twenty-five years
Between the end of Boyer's term,
march ls43, to the American interven-
0on on July 2s, 1915, period of sew
en'y-two years, twenty executives held
Office.
President Simon was succeeded by
Leconte n August, 1911. Between that
Vs'e and July rs. 1915. when the as
sss2nation Of President Sam led TO the
american intervention-a period of
years-fve presidents held Office.
Rulers Slain or Exiled
alter Turbulent Terms
NNconte was blown up in his palace;
'feate exiled; Zamor overthrown by
'o'utlon and later murdered by one
"'s successors; Theodore served
''u0led term of three months and was
,ef'hFown and exiled by Sam, who,
s''eT turbulent reign Of four months,