Black Friction

The mission of the First Brigade, Marine Corps, in Haiti has undergone no change. Intercourse with the Haitian people becomes increasingly cordial and very little friction manifests itself.

So wrote Secretary of the Navy Charles Francis Adams last month in preparing his department's annual report. On the day his report was published last week sufficient Haitian friction had developed to warrant the dispatch of extra U. S. forces to the trouble-stricken black republic of the West Indies.

Riot and bloodshed had occurred in what Secretary of State Stimson characterized as "an exceedingly serious situation." President Hoover, alarmed, sent a special message to Congress, asked for another commission of investigation. Since 1915 when President Vilbrun Guillaume Sam was publicly butchered* and revolution and carnage reigned, the U. S. has exercised a virtual protectorate over Haiti. Under a 1916 treaty, U. S. armed forces are in the republic for three purposes: 1) to protect U. S. lives and property; 2) to help support a stable government and suppress cannibalistic bandits; 3) to prevent, by administering the Haitian customs, European creditor nations from interfering in Haiti's affairs. In 1919 occurred an uprising against the U. S. which Haitians claimed cost 3,500 lives. In 1922 Louis Borno became President; in 1927 the Haitian Parliament dissolved.

Last week's troubles originated with a strike in October of students at Damien Agricultural School, whose "bonus" allowances the government had reduced. Anti-Borno politicos seized upon this strike to spread the gospel of unrest through the canebrake country. A general strike began to gather momentum. At the Port-au-Prince customs house, under U. S. control, native employes rioted, broke office furniture and equipment, manhandled U. S. agents. A mob gathered before the National City Bank branch, jeered, threw rocks. Promptly the U. S. High Commissioner, Brig. General John Henry Russell of the Marine Corps, declared martial law, stationed Marines with machine guns on President Borno's palace lawn. President Borno announced that he would not seek a third term.

Without warning blood was spilled at Aux Cayes, south coast coffee port. Fifteen hundred natives marched to the town out of the wild back country to join the strike. They were met by a detachment of 20 Marines who told them the strike was over, warned them to disperse. Instead, the Haitians, armed only with machetes, clubs, field tools, attempted to rush the town. The Marines volleyed over the mob's head, then scattered them with 250 rounds of direct fire. Five Haitians were killed, 20 wounded. One Marine was bitten in the hand.

President Hoover was deeply disturbed by these events. At the request of High Commissioner Russell, he gave terse orders to Secretary of the Navy Adams. Quickly out of Hampton Roads sailed the U. S. S. Wright bearing a detachment of 500 Marines to supplement the force of 700 already in Haiti. From Guantanamo Bay steamed away the cruiser Galveston, bound for Jacmel where an arms smuggling plot was supposed to have been uncovered.

With the approach of these forces, a hush fell over Haiti and quiet was temporarily restored. But from Congress came a menacing rumble as critics of U. S. policy in the Caribbean gathered for a new attack.

*Of the 25 Haitian Presidents, 15 have been expelled by revolutions, three have been assassinated, three died in office, one died of wounds in a revolt, one committed suicide, one finished his term to die honorably in bed, one now holds office.

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