Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
MAY TAKE u. S. A YEAR
TO QUIT SANTO DOMINGO
Quarreling of Factions Interferes With
Process of Setting Up Stable
Government.

There is some doubt as to how far
the provisional government and the
junta of Dominican political leaders
| which agreed to the plan for with
| drawal can go in proclaiming laws
and regulations which will bind the
national congress, TO be elected in the
future. And there is much debate as
to whether the provisional govern
ment Will have any authority to de-
cree what the constitutional assem-
bly,, when that is elected. shall do ana
shall not do.
At the present rate of progress to-
| ward electing the national congress
on legislative reform, il will not he
less than three months before the
elections are finally held. When this
congress assemblies, it will sit for
sixty days busiIy reforming IegisIa-
ton, unless the provisional president.
Juan Bautista Eicini Burgos, should
decide it needs thirty or more DAYS
longer. Then the question will arise
as to whether it would be better to
have new election and a brand-new
| congress to take over the creation Of
be better to allow the legislative con-
gress to change its name and become
| constitutional assembly to under
take the revision of the constitution.
Then Some More Elections.
When the constitutional assembly
completes its work, elections must he
held all over again for new presi-
dent and d permanent government,
and if all this is accomplished within
a year. the Dominicans may count
themselves fortunate.
The work of the Dominican con
gress about to be elected will be
hampered or expedited according TO
the strength of the different political
factions. If one of the parties Sc
cures at the start nice working
majority. or if an understanding can
be reached among the leaders, it may
be possible to push the work which
remains TO be done in a reasonably
short time. II is the hope of the Of
ficials of this government and of those
Dominicans who have the best in
terest of their country at heart that
there may be no undue delays and
that the full and complete control Of
their government can be returned to
the Dominicans as soon as possible.
Has Been Thankless Job.
| The United States will be we'll rid
| of it's affairs I'm Santo Domingo
| American Intervention in Santo
| Domingo has been criticized in
! Europe and throughout Latin-America
as form of imperialism" which,
! these critics warn. may spread south
ward Before the United States with
| draws from Santo Domingo it will
have assured itself that the indie
| pendence and territorial integrity OF
the Dominican Republic, the main
tenance of public order and the secur
| ity of life and property will be
adequately safeguarded." If these
/ the withdrawal and found wanting.
the United States may be forced to
| interfere once more to see that her
| demands are respected. If, on the
other hand, the Dominican Republic
! proves her ability TO govern her own
| affairs without the periodic upheavals
which marked past administra-
t lions. Tucle Sam will have placed
! feather i'll his cap as a successful
/ teacher in the WAYS of self-govern
ment, and his interference from the
! first will be fully justified