Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-16
WAR IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Associated Press Correspondent Tells Of
Conditions as They Existed Sunday,
SALVADOR MAY Join WITH HONDURAS
President ZeIsyH of Nicaragua satd 20
he Distrusted by Both Conn
tries-Arms Expected
from America.

each side that THE enemy has been van
pushed in an important battle" the ight-
ing between Honduras and Nicaragua has,
up to the present time. been confined to
small engagements between scouting par
ties on one or the other side OF the FROM
tiers, encounters that anywhere else would
be classed as skirmishes. Each side has
made claims Of victories not warranted
by the facts and each side has called the
reports sent out by the other false and
misleading.
While there has been no battle ms yet, all
the conditions are ripe for a serious en-
gagement. It is a mistake to characterize
all Central American fighting as comic
opera performances. Much OF the lighting
here Is comparatively not serious, but the
warning elements OF these states have
shown in. the past that they can. on occa-
Bions,. put up a good, stif fight and II
the Rrrayed forces Of Honduras and Nicara-
qua do meet in an engagement the conflict
will not be inconsequential or to be laughed
at.
The situation OF armed hostility between
Honduras and Nicaragua. from the Hon.
duran side. is briefly as follows: The Skin
mish at San Marcos, village in Honduras
about five miles from the Ncaraguan FROM
tier, was inconseuuential The main Hon
uuTaH force If at NnuluLttht ANAAb hAlt
Gulnepo and Yuscaran. These four towns
are in practically straight line and about
twenty miles from the frontier
BoniIIa Awaits Arms.
President Bonilia is waiting for further
reinforcements from Tegucigalpa and for
arms from the United States He would
like also to have the first serious engnge-
ment on Honduran territory in order to he
able TO demand that Salvador make good
Its promise TO help him in case OF war.
The presence Of President .Bonilla in the
field has stimulated the Honduran army
so that the men have confidence, and he Is
a fighter OF experience. He has a strong
personal following in Salvador as well as
the confidence of the Salvadorean army.
and every one here is expecting to hear
any day that Salvador has decided to fight
with him.
Honduras has armed already between
5000 and 1900 men. and 1900 more are
being equipped at the capital. The presl-
dent is in close touch with his capital by
automobile. There is a splendid maeadam-
ICED road from Tegucigalpa to the Pacific
coast. which passes within a six-hour
horseback ride Of the Honduran headquar-
tiers. Chouteca has water communication
with the port of Amapala, which makes the
comparatively easy.
The present disposition of the Honduran
forces cover all the main roads from Nica-
raEua.
Forces of Nicaragua.
1t would appear that the Nicaraguan
forces have concentrated at Somoto. Santa
Maria and Ocotal The first actual dim
Guilty took place at Las Manos, a little
village the main street of which marks
the frontier line between Honduras and
Nicaragua. The Nicaraguans, who were
encamped on their side of the village,
crossed the line one night and stole q
Honduran mule and retired with their
capture without firing a shot This incl
dent was followed by diplomatic corre-
spondence, in which the Nicaraguans were
stigmatized as cattle lifters,' This was
resented with counter charges and shortly
after there was a town meeting at ANA
pala, Honduras, in which President Zelaya
of Nicaragua was accused OF violating his
promises and ifomenting strife. Nicaragua
then demanded that Honduras punish the
municipality of Amapala, but this Hon
duras refused, on the ground that the
Honduran people were guaranteed the right
of public speech and meeting. President
Bonilla offered to submit the Las Manos
| incident and all other pending questions
to arbitration, but this Nicaragua refused
and shortly after both countries began
seriously to prepare for war.
In Honduras President Zelaya is harshly
criticised. He is accused of harboring and
aiding Honduras revolutionists to organize
and provide them with arms and ammuni-
ton with which TO fight the present gov
eminent. He was a friend OF Sierra Arias
and Policarpo Bonilla, both sworn enemies
of the present president. and in Honduras
it is declared categorically that zelaya long
has been waiting a pretext TO declare war
| on Honduras, his ultimate purpose being
to set up in this country a president in
sympathy with his own ambitions. The
people and the government OF Honduras
believe that zelaya hopes now to repeat
his victory Of 1894. when a Nicaraguan
army entered Tegucigalpa and Polioarpo
was proclaimed president of Honduras.
zeInyR iE Distrusted.
The question Of a boundary line betwean
Honduras and Nicaragua 10 still open, and
with friendly president at Tegucigalps,
Nicaragua would be sure OF boundary de-
clsions favorable to Itself. In short Presi.
dent zelaya is thoroughly distrusted, moi
only in Honduras, but in Salvador and
Guatemala as well, and the Honduran gov.
eminent declares It is preferable TO fight
him In a final effort TO put an end to his
international intrigues than to let him con.
tinus to foment disorders.
Honduras and Salvador are bound by al
lance to aid each other In case Of wal
and President zelaya is hostile 10 Manue
Estrada Cabrera, the president of Guate
mala. There Is a chance that Guatemala
will remain neutral. but, II not. all IN,
countries OF Central america, with the ex
ception OF Costa Rica, which so far hai
taken no active part in this dispute. arr
likely 10 become involved.
Salvador Is 50 close TO Chlotueta tina
salvadorean troops could Join BOnllla Il
twenty-four hours and another twenty fou
hours could see the united armies on Mica
raguan territory II the Nicaraguan
should march upon Tegucigalpa. the Hon
duran forces are 50 disposed that thel
could be readily concentrated to oppose tn
invaders salvadoran troops could be hur
ried TO Tegueigalpa in forty-eight hours
! There is reason 70 believe that boil
belligerents are expecting shipments o
arms from the United states