Evening star., 1933-01-29

mixed with raw gin to prevent coagulation,
used by the natives who dipped their cups
into the liquid and drank it to ward of evil.
"The native officer, who lives where used
to lve'-and his voice is a little sad when he
talks of that faraway palace-'the native Of
fcer keeps the electro lights in the house
burning all day long and all night long to
show the others that he has Them
There are other evidences that the people
should not govern themselves, Wirkus be-
Iieves.
For one thing, they don't know how to hold
elections
He tells the story, as typical of present con-
ditions as well of past events, of one elec-
tion where he was sent to keep order but not to
interfere. Five men were running for mayor OF
a village. Every mayor had barbecue in ses-
Sion believing that the quickest way to a mans
ballot followed culinary route
None of the people there could read or write.
The names of the candidates were printed on
the ballots. The friends OF the five men lined
up en- route to the ballot box and every voter
had to run the gantlet. Time after time
candidates henchman would seize mans bal.
lot and replace it until the voter couldn't b
sure for whom he voting.
IA /HEN he reached the judge, to whom he
w gave the slip, he had to say his cand1-
dates name out loud. And the Judge lost his
temper when the voter didn't favor his own
personal choice
THE people aren't afraid to die" Wirkus eX-
plains. "But they have horror of being be-
headed. When they are facing death they beg
their tormentors not to cut off their heads.
They believe that headess body may not en-.
ter whatever heaven they believe in.
Haiti Is the only Negro nation in the world
which has won its independence. Most Of the
people do not want it. The country isn't capa-
BILE of handling its own affairs. 1t will slip back
to the place which it occupied before the United
States came in, in 1915
The ex-king who has never married, wants
to go back to his island some day.
THERE is no yellow maid waiting. He won't
have the palace again But the wind sttll
stirs the trees, there is a pounding of the surf
In the distance, and the people are his friends.
They want him to return. They haven't for
gotten the drum call they played when he came
down the trails of the mountains.
THE odd part of it is Whkus adds, "that
I can remember distinctly the first black man
I saw, as a boy We had none in our town.
One day freight train went by. A Negro was
beating his way on it. He bruised from
the stones which people had thrown at him. I
can see his face to this day
He felt sorry for the race then. He still does.
Especially for the people who subject to the
WileS of a tyranncal ruler.
year or SO ago. when Wirkus wrote a book
telling Of his experiences La Gonave, re-
viewers complimented him highly on the way
in which he had taken the trouble to under-
stand the native Haitians.
A good many of the troubles traceable %
American occupation of such backward lands rs
Haiti, 1t was pointed out, arise because Of the
fact that the leaders of the occupying forces
neither comprehend sympathize with the
people theV are SUbdung The attitudH df6a
played by Wirkus and the way be Won tne
confidence and affection of the people, ~
commented ON as being in welcome coutsaGtee
the course often followed by more highly Yeaood
officers In such expeditionary forces.