Of Utah

When Congress adjourned, Senator William H. King of Utah, Democrat and Mormon, left Washington for a self-appointed investigating tour of Porto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Haiti. Last week in Porto Rico he received notice that he was not wanted in the Negro Republic of Haiti. Simultaneously, the Haitian Minister in Washington received a cablegram from the Haitian government. It said:

"Please forward immediately to the United States newspapers the following information:

"Mr. William H. King, having expressed his intention of going to Haiti, the Haitian government has notified him that it considers him as undesirable and that access to the territory of Haiti is forbidden to him.

"The attitude of the Haitian government is justified by the following reasons:

"1) Mr. King has publicly uttered in the United States a false and offensive declaration against the President of Haiti. . . .

"2) Mr. King has made himself in the United States the agent of the worst element of disorder in Haitian politics. His presence in Haiti would provoke a political agitation . . . the consequence of which would be disastrous to the population which now is accustomed to peace and labor."

Forwith, Secretary of State Kellogg, after a consultation with Haitian Minister Hannibal Price, cabled President Borno that his objections to Mr. King are an affront to the U. S. Senate and a discredit to Haiti. Perhaps, said Secretary Kellogg, Mr. King might lose his hostility if allowed to visit Haiti. Within an hour President Borno cabled back that under no circumstances would he allow Mr. King to land on his shores. "Mr. King's utterances," said the Negro President, "are a personal insult to me and to my people."*

So, the mighty U. S. gave in to the puny Negro Republic; Secretary Kellogg issued this statement: "Haiti is a sovereign republic and fully within her rights in saying who shall land there and there is nothing more which the United States can do about it. Senator King has been so notified."

Meanwhile, Senator Henrik Shipstead, Farmer-Laborite from Minnesota, approached the Haitian shores. It is expected that he will be allowed to land, to conduct an unofficial investigation.

* Mr. King had said last year in the Senate that Louis Borno was illegally elected President of Haiti. Technically, Mr. King is right; but the U. S. has been backing the Borno government.