The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-13

4 gime at Washington says that
Nicaragua is slated for the same
treatment melted out to Santo Do
mingo. In Dollar Diplomacy" we
find that Santo Domingo was, "The
first of the Caribbean countries to
suffer American military interven-
ton and the practical establish
ment of a protectorate."
President u. S. Grant, unlike
Coolidge and Kellogg in the present
attack on Nicaragua, spoke out
bluntly as to American intentions
in Santo Domingo. He did not
peddle phrases about "the protec-
ton of American lives and proper
ty." Grant declared:
"The acquisition of Santo Domin-
go is desirable because Of its geo.
graphical position. II commands
the entrance to the Caribbean Sea
and the isthmus transit OF COM
merce. 1t possesses the richest oil,
the most capacious harbors, most
salubrious climate and the most
valuable products of the forests,
mines and soil of all the West
Indian islands. It's possession by
us will in a few years build up
coastwise commerce Of immense
magnitude. In case Of foreign
war it will give us command of all
the islands referred to and thus
prevent an enemy from ever pos
sessing herself of rendezvous on our
very coast"
In the years that followed the I'm
tied States securely fastened its
financial tentacles upon the island,
and with financial control went in
reference with the political life Of
the nation. AS in Haiti, so in Santo
Domingo, we find the National City
Bank of New York, a Morgan
Rockefeller outfit, the dominating
influence. Whenever spark Of
smouldering discomfort would light
the fires of opposition in the island,
U. S. warships were always ready to
edo their stuff"
One stage of this development is
carefully narrated in dollar Diplo-
macy" as follows:
American financial and political
interference in Santo Domingo final
ly led to armed Intervention. m
April 1916 another instruction took
place in Santo Domingo, and this
time, on May 4, 1915, United States
marines were landed. 'Stealthily
American battleships entered the
roadstead of Santo Domingo City,
and under cover of score or more
long-range, big-caliber guns the
American admiral, with a large
force of marines, landed on Domin-
lean territory
president Jiminez resigned and
the Dominican congress elected DR..
Henriquez y Carvajal temporary
president. The state department
refused to recognize this legally
chosen president unless he signed
a treaty with the United States
which Washington had been pres
sing on Santo Domingo since 1915.
This treaty was even more drastic
than the one forced on the republic
in 1907, and was similar in nature
and intent to the one forced by the
Wilson administration on Haiti. 1t
called for the control by American
officials of the Dominican customs,
treasury, army and police. Presi-
dent Henriquez refused recognition
by the state department on such
terms; whereupon, on Oct. II, fol-
lowing instructions from Washing
ton, the American customs collector
refused to pay the duly elected Do
minican government the revenues
to which it was entitled.
"a deadlock ensued. The entire
country rallied around the presi-
dent; political differences were for
gotten, and officials performed their
duty without pay as far as they
could, owing to the refusal Of the
American officials to turn their
salaries over to them until the
treaty was signed.