New-York tribune., 1909-03-14
AMERICA TO INTERVENE
4 CHECK ON ZEL4TA'S
MOVE FOR POWER.
Marines and Warships Ready to
Enforce Peace IN Central
America.

CelVed at me department OF state TO- -tldS lids
no intention of breaking the agreement entered
into in 1907 to maintain perpetual peace In Cen
trail America Neither has he attacked, nor does
he purpose TO attack Salvador Apparently
Senior Zelaya is too much Of q statesman TO do
either of these things on the contrary, his sole
purpose is TO send a body Of troops to Cartago.
When they have arrived he will cheerfully sub
NIT all questions at issue between Nicaragua
and Salvador to the properly instituted arbitral
tribunal in that city.
Incidentally of course. the representatives of
Nicaragua may take occasion TO remind the
members of the tribunal that there is consid-
erable armed force loyal to Nicaragua and com
posed of men who are prone TO be quick tenn
pered and who might resent any decision mimi
cal TO the claims of their country. In word,
President Zelaya purposes to observe the Ia"
and submit his difficulties to arbitration, having
first taken the precaution so to intimidate the
arbitrators that there will be no danger of de-
cisiOn contrary to the contentious of Nicaragua
OF course. this government will not permit the
realizati ton of Senior Zelaya's peaceful aims. and
accordingly steps have been taken to checkmate
them. Under the treaty of 1907. to which the
United States is sgnatory this country is bound
10 do its part to maintain peace in Central
America, and it will not hesitate to take such
steps as may be necessary to do 50, even to the
extent of interfering with Senor zelaya's plans
for arbitration.
WARSHIPS NEAR NICARAGUA.
Four of the smaller American warships are in
the vicinity of Nicaragua, and there are five
hundred marines at Guantanamo and two hun
dred more at Panama, all of which are inlme-
diately available. Proper surveillance will be
maintained over the coast Of Nicaragua and
Honduras and in the mean time President Ze-
laya will be advised that his peaceful scheme
rhi will no he tolerated nv
the United States
In SO far as official dispatches were con-
cerned there were no developments to-day in the
Central American situation. It announced
at the State Department that no word had come
from Nicaragua or elsewhere bearing on the
subject After waiting ell day for reply 10
his dispatch of last night, the Mexican Am
bassador visited Secretary Knox and informed
him that as yet he had nothing 10 communi-
cate In the mean time, following conferences
between Mr Knox. Secretary Meyer and Rear
Admiral Pillsbury. chief Of the bureau Of navi-
CATION. the ships now in Nicaraguan waters and
on their way there were assigned TO stations
There viii be one at Greytown and another, the
Dubuque. at Buefelds, on tho Atlantic side
one at Corinto and another in the Bay Of Fou
ssca on the Pacific side. This latter vessel. the
Yorktown because OF her light draft. win be
ahie TO proceed far Amapsla, and thus
prevent The movement of troops between Mica
ragua and Salvador by water. Should any such
movement be undertaken overland across Hon
duras marines viii be dispatched 70 check II.
Interest was attached in official circles to tho
denaIs of the Presidents OF Nicaragua and SAL
vador Of the stories that hostilites between the
two countries had broken out, but II was stated
that such minors played only part in stu
alton which to employ the expression Of high
OFFICIAL. had become very disagreeabla.
EsPINosA EXPECTED To co
Because of the recall Of Mr.. Gregory. tho
American Secretary Of Legation at Nlanagua IT
is believed that the position here Of Minister
Espinosa. of Nicaragua, viii become untena biz.
and that in consequence he will take his depart
ure Efforts to 500 him to day were without
success.
The possibility of Joint intervention by Amer
lea and Mexico in the interest Of peace in Cen
trsl America is believed TO be now under seri-
Gus consideration The question at issue is the
exact extent OF the obligation imposed on the
two larger republics under thu terms of the last
Central American peace pact. America and
Mexico were not parties to this agreement, al
tbourI, they were largely instrumental in bring
ing il about The five Central American
pubIics agreed to refrain from hostllties and
submit any 1uarrels between themselves to ar
bitration Such agreements have been made be
fore but they never have had any very great
binding force To remed, that fault in preced-
ing agreements in the case of the last cOnveu-
ton il was made the duty of America and Mex
leo to see that its terms were lived up to- It
will be under that stipulation. if at all, there
fore. that the Intervention will De based.
-ust what action the United States will take
in the way of curbng the actions of President
Zelaya depends largely the reply OF Mexico
TO the dispatch of last night of Ambassador La
Barra. following his visit to the State Depart
ment. The Navy Department is cooperating
with the Secretary of State and is prepared to
send marines to Nicaragua on short notice.
PEACE PACT TO BE LIVED Up TO.
It Is evident, with the moral support of Mex
ico the United States intends to take action
which will make lasting impression on the
n,icaraguans and convince them, well as the
other Central Americans, that the peace pact oL
1907 must be lived up to.
The Mexican Ambassador while in constant
,o,,,,unication with his government, had
cai,,ad no definite instructions concerning the
attitude of Mexico toward the proposal of the
United States for a conference on the situation
prevailing in Central America. but the exchange
or kilograms has tended to make clear some
plan along this line
1jt+Ie doubt is expressed that the Mexican
government is fully alive to the Importance Of
the Central American situation, and will
,,ron,ptIy and cordially cooperate with the
I-rited states I'm establishing order.
The American Consul at Managua has been in
formed Of the movements Of American men Of
var The Tacoma has been ordered to Puerto
c,ortez and the Yorktown is soon expected ot
Anapala The Yorktown probably win visit
,.orinto In The future.
TT. oF the President Zp5yd