The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-02
Murder Of Two Americans in
Nicaragua Forces This COUn-
try to Take Action to Main
tain It's National Standing.
ZELAYA DECLARED TO
BE BEYOND THE PALE
Charge d'AffaireS Handed His
Passports and a Letter in
Which the Central American
Crimes Are Fully ReCOunted.
AMOUNTS ALMOST TO WAR

Washington, Dec. Secretary Of
State Knox late today returned the
passports of Felipe Rodriguez, charge
d'afaires of the NicaTaguan legation,
with letter scathingly denOuncing
the Zelayan administration Of the
government of Nicaragua. The letter
is definitely declared to represent the
views of President Taft, and is about
as plainspoken as anything emanat-
ing from the state department in
many years.
The extraordinary feature Of the let
ter is that it seems to evidence an in
tention on the part of the United States
TO hold President Zelaya personally re-
iEDOnsibie for the alleged torture and
iexecution OF the Americans, Cannon
and Groce and exhibits the unique SIT
uation Of one government holding the
chief executive of another practically
as a common malefactOr
ZeIaya is branded as a ViOlatOT OF
solemn international conventions,
disturbel OF the national and interna-
tional peace, a tyrant whose admins
tratiOn has been a blot upon the name
OF good government
Recognition of Estrada.
Secretary Knox virtually announces
the recognition ut the Nicaraguau rev
olutiOnists, declares it to be the CON
viction of the United States that the
revolution represents the sentiments
of a majority OF the Nicaraguan PEG
pie, and that there is evidently no re-
spOnsible government with which the
United States can deal He therefore
announces that all parties will be held
accountable for their actions as al
fecting the interests of Americans and
the peace of Central America.
He further informs Senior Rodriguez
that while he has lost his diplomatic
quality. he may still serve as an "un-
official" channel of communication with
the faction which he is regarded as
representing.
Approaches Status Of War.
This brings the crisis as near to the
status of war as il could be brought
by executive action without definite
declaration by congress, which VIII
convene next Monday. Mr., knON's let
ter I'm all but so many words makes
fl plain that the action represents the
wish and attitude of all the Central
American states, with the single eX-
ception of Honduras, which is regarded
here as entirely dominated by Zelaya
Mexico has its sympathy with the
United States in this matter.
just what status consular repre-
sentatiVes of the United states in Nj
caragua now enjoy is not definitely ex-
planned today. 1t is expected, however
that Vice Consul Caldera. who has been
occupying the legation in Managua,
and other consuls in that country, viii
be given their passports tomorrow,
This is the usual method Of procedure,
Letter Of Secretary Knox.
Following is the text of Secre-
tary KnoXs letter to Senior
Rodriguez.
Department of State, Washington, Dec
], 1909.
"Sir: Since the Washington convention
Of 1897 10 is notorious that President Ze-
lava has almost continuously kept Cen
trail America I'm tension or turmoil, that
he has repeatedly and flagrautly VIC
lated the provisions of the convention and,
by a baneful influence on Honduras,
whose neutrality the conventions were
TO assure, has sought TO discredit these
sacred international obligations TO the
great detriment of Costa Rica, Saiva1C~
and Guatemala. whose governments
meanwhile appear to have been able pa
ticutly TO strive for the loyal support of
the engagements. so solemnly undertaken
Continued on Page TWO.