Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-25
ST|MSON RECEIVES
BUFFERS PROTEST;
HAITIAN EXPLAINS
BeIIegarde Denies Telling
interviewer Fort Marines
Captured Was Myth.
SAYS HE DID NOT KNOW
EXISTENCE OF RIVIERE
State Secretary Promises Inquiry.
Study of Facts to Determine
Diplomatic Action.

A letter of protest from Gen. Smedley
D. Butler of the Marine Corps against
statements attributed to Dantes Belle
garde, Minister of Haiti, in which the
Minister was quoted as questioning the
basis on which a Congressional Medal
of Honor had been awarded to the gen.
eral. brought a promise of investigation
by the State Department today and
denial from Mr.. Bellegarde that he had
made any statement rejecting in any
way on Gen Butler or the achievements
of the Marines in Haiti.
Gen. Buffers letter, sent to the Navy
Department was transmitted to the
State Department as matter OF rou-
tine. Secretary Stimson said it would
be necessary for him TO determine the
facts next week before he could decide
whether the department would act
diplomatically.
The attitude of the Secretary was I'M
derstood to be that the question should
be approached without prejudice and
without reference to recent previous
incident when remarks by Butler about
Premier Mussolini of italy forced the
State Department to apologize formally
to the italian government.
Says He Was Misunderstood.
The dispute is the outgrowth of
copyrighted article IN the Washington
Herald of April II. in which Minister
Bellegarde was quoted as saying that
o fort for the capture OF which Butter
was awarded a Congressional Medal CT
Honor did not exist. The fort was
known as Fort Riviere in Haiti.
In an interview with a Star reporter
today Minister Bellegarde declared that
his remark concerning Fort Riviere was
made privately to newspaper man
and apparently had been misunderstood.
The Minister speaks no English.
He said that after he thought the
Interview had been concluded his vlsi-
tor brought out part Of Buffers re-
port of the stornaing of Fort Riyiere
by the Marines.
IT never heard of Fort Riviere,"
Bellegarde said was his response, and
do not think Haitisns generally have
ever heard Of it.
Does Not Deny Fort Exists.
He did not deny that there was
Fort Riviere or that 1t had been stormed
and captured by Butler, then major,
and his men, he declared. He said that
he was ignorant OF the existence OF sucn
a fort and that Maj. Buffers report OF
the capture Of the stronghold was sent
directly to the Navy Department and
was not made known to Haitians. who
had no knowledge of the fight which
Butler described.
The Acting Secretary of the Navy,
Ernest Lee Jahncke, in a statement
this morning said.
"A letter concerning statements at
Nributed to tie Minister from Haiti has
been received by the Secretary OF the
Navy from Mai Gen. Smedley D Butler,
u. S. Marine Corps. Following the usual
procedure In such cases. the letter has
been forwarded by Secretary Adams to
the Department of State"
Protests Alleged SIurs.
The Butler communication was de-
ecribed at Marine Corps headquarters
es ultra confidential"
Gen. Butler is one of two members OF
the Marine Corps to receive two Navy
Congressional Medals ot Honor TO- sep
arate and distinct acts. The other is
Gunnery Sergt Daniel DAILY of Glendale,
Long Island, N. Y.
Both Marine Corps headquarters and
Gen. Butler stoutly maintain that it
was SAlSlCIiGc OIl INONCDlDSL -, 1910
when the general was awarded the
medal for heroism above and beyond the
call of duty.
Protest Based on Interview.
Gen. Buffers protest was based on an
interview with Minister Bellegarde,
which appeared in the Washington Her
aid on April 49, The interview said
Minister Bellesarde had returned to
Washington after a trip to Haiti and
'has pricked one Of the myths about
Mai. Gen Smedley Darlington Butler,
over whose veracity a controversy has
ragged which shook two continents"
IN Butler is very imaginary Belle
garde was quoted. The interview said
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