New Britain herald., 1925-02-17
COMMUNICATED
In Haiti

Editor of New Britain Herald, City.
 Dear Sir: Will you be so kind as to act as judge and argument settler?
 The argument involves the rela- ton of United States to Haiti. "A" claims that Haiti is a republic and as such is independent of any other power. Also that an invading power abolishes all existing laws of the conquered nation giving it in re- turn laws of its own manufacture"
 On the other hand "B" admits that Haiti is a republic, but claims that the country is far from being independent as the United States holds the island under it's protec torate, or in other words controls and governs Haiti, that every act on the part of Haitians must have the approval of the United States and further, that United States through the control of Haiti's finances and its military forces is the de facto gov- ernment of the island. Tn addition "B" claims that the continuous presence of U. s. Marines in Haiti has its purpose and it is known that the Marines in Haiti are not on sightseeing trip; they are there to enforce the will of the United States.
 Haiti is of very important strate- gic value and United States wishes to control Haiti in order to keep other powers from invading the island.
 AS to conquered nations the vic- tor retains the prevailing laws en- forcing such additional laws are are necessary.
 Please tell us who is right. The winner gets $10.
 Thanking you in advance for the settlement of this question I remain,
 Respectfully yours,
 FELIX A. STEPANIK,
 5S West Street. City.
 You have hit upon a subject con- corning which there has been con- siderable argument and both "A" and "B" are more or less right, though neither are entirely so. For your information we shall try and give the pertinent facts in the case and the present situation. Then, it appears to us you had better call your bet off.
 Haiti was, and is ,an independent republic. At the present time it is under the protectorate of the United States-it Is not, however, under the domination of the United States in the sense that a conquered country would be. Marines are acting as police and the Haitians have finan- cial advisers under the terms of treaty, because the Haitians seemed unable to keep a stable government Of their own.
 In five years, from 1910 to 1915 Haiti had seven presidents, the last of which was murdered after taking | refuge in the French consulate. The United States took a hand in the proceedings immediately after that landed marines and restored order. Over 200 political prisoners were killed in the massacres im- mediately preceding the killing of the president.
 In November 1915, a treaty was signed by that country with the United States stipulating that the President of Haiti appoint, on nomi- nation of the President of the United States, a general receiver of customs to take charge of the custom houses: financial adviser; American ma rine officers to organize a constabu- lary; and engineers to supervise con- struction and sanitation. The U. S.. agreed to intervene, if necessary, to maintain stable government. This treaty was for a period of twenty years.
 Therefore, it will be seen, the marines are not members of a punitive force, they are "police.' There is no effort on. the part of the U. s. to abolish "all existing laws" and make others. Haiti is self-governed, the U. S. is acting as an adviser in some matters financial and otherwise. It is probable that the police have laid down some rules of conduct. The United States does nok censor "every act' of the Haitian Of course the marines have a duty there-the maintenance of law and order.
 Haiti has a strategic value from a military standpoint, but the United States, under the Monroe Doctrine undertakes to enforce law and order in its part of the world rather than to let other nations do 1t, as a mat ter of protection to itself of course. If other nations undertook to police our part of the hemisphere they might eventually become the , possessors of additional footholds . from which to invade us some day therefore we look out for their in. | .-.z-rsu ... x,.nu a "a opr oxup kanp law