New Britain herald., 1923-03-02
OFFICERS OF navy
LABOR FOR HAITI.
U. 5. Naval Men Use Skill and
Energy to Benefit Country

Port-Au-Prince. Haiti, March 2ss
The technical skill, the energy. thu
intelligence and the hard work Of
certain officers of the American navy
all are being expended In the inter
csts of the island OF Haiti and III
people. And the year 1922 was onf
OF peace and progress. Much was
accomplished. and the work Is still
going on under American leadership
The Americans are teaching the
Haitians TO help themselves; they are
cndeavoring to train the Haitian per-
sonnet SO that they may eventually
displace all foreigners in island ad-
Winistration. Cooperation between
che two elements. to this end, I'M
doubleday is making Roadway.
Early this year the American heads
of departments made reports on the
results of their labors in 1922 to
John II. Russell, the American high
commissioner for Haiti, covering ac-
tivities In the sanitary service, In fire
protection, In police work, in public
works such as irrigation, road build
Ing. and communications; in the bet
ter lighting of the coasts of Haiti,
and In increased shipping.
The so-called prison disease. which
in the old regime claimed 1900 out
OF an average of 1000 prisoners, has
been reduced to the vanishing point.
In 1922 the percentage of deaths in
the prisons was OFT. The death rate
of the gendarmes. numbering 24l4
Haitians fell to the rate of Sill per
thousand:
The completion of the intensive
campaign against small pox assures
the prevention of its spread for sew
eral years, and the recent severe cpl
demic of cholerine, a form of ba-
ella dysentery, has been largely
wiped out.
Haitians Respond.
That the Haitians are responding
In greatly increased number to the
free opportunities of American sur
gical and medical treatment is
evinced by the fact that in the year
22,3f6 applied for treatment, as
compared to 1905 for the preceding
year. Five free dispensaries were
opened in interior sections where
medical facilities were inconsistent for
a radius of several miles.
The gendarmes have been encour-
eyed in field and track sports, bas-
ketball, baseball, soccer and boxing,
to their physical improvement. There
has been a material decrease in crime
in the island, and outside of vaga-
bondage and petty theft the infrac-
lions of the law were inconsiderable.
Only two automobiles were stolen
throughout the year, both being re-
covered within a short time. There
has been no semblance of uprising
on banditry.
Gcndarmes Receive Training.
All gendarmes, in addition to their
military training, are receiving a free
grammar school course that has en-
couraged enlistment and caused ia
yorable comment among the Haitians.
For the first time in it's history every
man in the gendarmerie. has ban
thoroughly instructed in rifle practice
and the contests held have developed
craftsmanship of a surprisingly high
quality. The regulation of all We
hicle traffic and the registration of
foreigners were assumed by the gem
darmerie in the closing months of
the year.
Port Au-Prince is now protected
against disastrous fires through the
recent completion of a salt water
high pressure system. The equip
ment of the capitals fire fighting
forces now comprises two modern
chemica land equipment motor trucks
and a recently acquired American
horse drawn engine in which the
tiremen, respondent in crimson
shirts and shining brass helmets, race
to the fires.
The department of public works
has operated irrigation service in
three of the leading plains where
agriculture is almost wholly depend
ept upon irrigation, made prelim-
mary Investigations Of other needed
irrigation projects, and determined
that fully 100000 acres of at present |
land in the great plain |
of the Artibonite are capable of irri-
cation. The newly completed diver !
sion dam in the Mathieux river is
also serving several thousand acres
OF land without tax for the water
Work of River Control Service.
The river control service, through
out the severe tropical storms Of the
wear kont the main road of tho