Evening star., 1926-03-13

When the Senate ruled rev DAYS
ago that o. certain appeal from Haltl
(Which Senator King of Utah pro-
posed to ready was out of order
because all our foreign relations must
PASS through the President via the
Department Of State. the suppression
piaued curiosity. The appeal was
referred to the committee on foreign
affairs, which action took 1t on the
floor of the Senate.
According to the Haitians and their
champions, the appeal, in the form
If a letter addressed to Senator
King disclosed a chapter of Amer
lean imperialism. The writer OF the
appeal, Perciva! Thoby of Haiti.
states:
THE 6l committee of the Union
patriotique have intrusted me with
the mission to lay these facts before
you: ;.
"The indictment of present condi-
tions in the Haitian republic falls
under Ave main heads:
II Popular elections deferred IN
violation of the constitution. and
election of the Haitian President by
the unlawfully constituted council OF
state.
"2. Depreciation of Haitian cur
+
national debt.
"3. Changes in land laws, depriving
peasants Of their land, resulting IN
increased emigration of Haitian work
ers to Cuba and elsewhere.
"a Increase of prostitution and So
cial evils, owing to military occupa-
ton.
"5. Secret and unlawful extension
from 10 to 20 years of the treaty OF
1916, between the United States and
Haiti"
The Thohy appeal is a bit confusing
To one not previously familiar with
| the story of the United states rela-
tions with Haiti, hut the story is
given moro in sequence by Rev.
Father Raymond A. McGowan, ~ho
has recently returned from that cotrn-
try, and whose facts are discussed
| by NJ. Thoby.
Father MCGOWAN thus summarizes
| the history:
81. Free government and civil lib
crty have been destroyed.
"2. The City National Bank of New
York, a Rockefeller institution. has ac'
quired complete dominion over Hal
tian finances.
"S. A nation of Independent farm.
ers is rapidly being transformed into
nation of plantation laborers, and
their farms are being absorbed into
plantations owned by American cor
porations."
| Father MCGOWAN cites the fact that
an investigating committee of 1.-The
| United States Senate reported in 1921
that 1900 Haitians had been killed by
l Yys.sx N&-ka
women and children. but the commit
tee justified the killing as necessary
to preserve order" The Navy Depart
ment officially stated at the same
time that there had been mo unneces
sary force used" According to Fathe,
McGouan, 70 the Marines the rebel
lious natives arc bandits; to the
Haitians they are "pa,fiots, fighting
for their country's independence.
| x X X v
Our relations with Haiti began ir
1891, when our Navy sought a base
on Mole St. Nicholas, which was
refused by the Haitian government
on the ground that it would impair
Haitian sovereignty.
since 1881, the finances Of Halt
had been managed by the National
Bank Of Haiti. The hank was re
organized in 1910 and certain French
banks acquired an interest in 1t
Later, our Secretary Of State, Mr.
Knox, called q conference of banks
in New York, at which he suggested
that some American banks should
be included in the Haiti bank, and, fol
lowing his advice. several New York
banks bought its stock.
When the World War broke out
Secretary of State Bryan urged that
American interests should acquire
all the European holdings In Haitian
finance, and the National City Bank
Of New York bought the French
stock and subsequently bought al
American interests.
1t was then that the United State:
proposed to Haiti that this Govern
nnent take over control Of all Haitian
ksaxes. collecting and expsnding then