Courier Cabot

Round-faced John Moore Cabot, 28, Harvard-Oxford graduate, Boston socialite secretary to the U. S. legation at Santo Domingo, crammed a dingy felt hat on his head, shook hands with his chief, U. S. Minister Charles B. Curtis, stepped into his runabout coupe, and raced snorting out of town.

Rebels were rising in the back country. That morning a wireless message had come through that revolutionists had captured the city of Santiago de los Caballeros, were advancing on the capital. Minister Curtis ordered Courier Cabot to Santiago de los Caballeros to find out what the leaders of the revolution wanted. One hundred and nine miles and a mountain range with peaks 10,000 feet high separate the city of Santo Domingo from Santiago de los Caballeros. The road, fortunately for Courier Cabot, has been recently improved. Disregarding possible bandits, sharpshooters, expecting every instant to strike a battle in full progress, Courier Cabot dashed onward. Back in Santo Domingo white-haired nephritic President Horacio Vasquez prudently sent his wife to the American Legation, retired to the city's fortress, took command of the garrison.

Ensued a pause. Correspondents who had flown over from Haiti kept the wires hot with explanations and causes of the revolt while waiting for something to happen. There were two causes:

1) Coffee and sugar are Santo Domingo's chief crops. For the past year coffee and sugar plantations have had poor crops. When this happens, the citizenry are naturally "agin the government."

2) President Vasquez was elected president in 1924 to serve four years. In 1928 he had his term extended for another two years. Two months ago, on his return from medical treatment in the U. S. he announced that he would run for President again in May. Jealous politicians felt that it was time to give someone else a chance at the Presidency.

Open rebellion was declared fortnight ago by a group under the leadership of "Supreme Chief" Rafael Estrella Urena. It was to him that Courier Cabot raced.

Soon came a wireless message from Santiago de los Caballeros. "Supreme Chief" had accepted the hint of the U. S. Government. His forces would continue to advance on Santo Domingo, but there would be no fighting. Santo Domingo businessmen sighed with relief.

Next morning, while the Government's army in Santo Domingo remained stu- diously neutral in their barracks, the invasion of Santo Domingo city began. Two thousand revolutionists, mostly farmers in blue overalls with rifles slung from their shoulders, sauntered into town. Citizens cheered half-heartedly from the curbstones. Back from Santiago de los Caballeros came the mud-spattered runabout coupe, and seated beside Courier Cabot was "Supreme Chief" Urena. On his head, a slouch hat, from the pocket of his flannel shirt protruded a fountain pen, from his shoulder hung a broad-bladed sword, its handle ivory-inlaid. U. S. Minister Curtis ran over from his legation. Ensued a weighty conference at the Presidential mansion.

Correspondents branded the results "a triumph of American diplomacy." President Vasquez, who has been a sick man for more than six months, resigned and entered a hospital. Resigned also without explanations, Vice President Jose Dolores Alfonseca, who for obscure reasons bore half the force of revolutionist animosity. To keep the revolution strictly constitutional, "Supreme Chief" Urena was appointed Secretary of the Interior. By Dominican law, the Secretary of the In- terior automatically becomes Provisional President in the absence of both President and Vice President. All parties agreed to a "free and fair" election in May.

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