The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-11

ed states marines
and the natives are cordial. While
martial law sis of necessity" main
tanned, its operation is practically nil,
the report says, being purely moral
force" Due to the efficiency of the
gendarmerie controlled by Ameri
cans) there has been a decrease in
crime. Haiti's prosperity is attested
by the fact that it imported over
1900 automobiles during the year.
Trade Decreases.
This happy picture is destroyed by
the report itself, which shows that
1927 imports and exports both de-
creased compared with the previous
year. Imports exceeded exports. Over
rs percent of all Haitian imports
come from the United States, while
only 7.8 percent of all exports are
sold to the United States. About A7.5
percent of the exports go to France.
The imports for the fiscal year 1926
81 were about SIS, 751, 1920, decrease
of 1874 percent compared with the pre-
vious year; exports were SIS ,299 600,
a decrease of 24.4 percent, compared
with the previous year. Government
receipts for the fiscal year were ST.
300, about IA percent less than
the previous year, but more than dou-
BILE the amount the government" ii.
e. the American financial "advisers")
collected during the first year of
American occupation (1916-1O. Gen
eral Russell points out that in 1907
08 government receipts were about
100000, but since the occupation
never less than S6,200,000 a year-a
good result from the American point
of view, since large part of these
receipts go to pay off loans floated
by American bankers.
Disarm Workers.
The report records the expiration
of the monopoly of cable messages by
the French Gable Company, and the
new contract with the All-America
Gables. Another section describes the
excellent results of the gendarmeries'
target practice, and the fact that only
734 revolver licenses have been issued
in a republic of 100000 people. This
disarmament of the Haitians is justi-
fled on the ground that the "gendarm-
erie and police rurale" CONTROLLED and
differed by Americans) "affords am
pie protection"
Strengthen Dictatorships.
The strengthening of Americas i'm
perialist control of Haiti, through the
puppet government of President
Borno, is shown by several political
changes recorded in the report. Re-
Gently the Haitian government, which
is completely dominated by Washing
ton, passed thirteen amendments to
the constitution which strengthens
American dictatorship. These amend
ments give the president Of Haiti,
who for all practical purposes is an
appointee of the United States, great
er control over the judicial system,
and gives constitutional sanction to
the press censorship which has pre-
vailed in fact since the American oc-
cupation.
Haiti is nominally Independent. Ac-
tually it is dominated by the Amer
lean high commissioner, the American
minister, the American customs su-
pervisor, the American financial "ad-
viser," and the American marines,
which have been there for twelve
years. President Borno was elected
in 1922 by council which he had
himself appointed. Borno was Wash
ington's choice for president. He is
still in office.
Since 1917, when the Haitian leg
islature was dispersed by the Amer
lean marines for trying to adopt a
constitution. no new legislature has
oeen elected. Haiti is theoretically
governed under another constitution
assed in 1917 by "plebiscite" SUI
'rvised by the American troops. This
Institution provides for legislature.