The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-08
VIGOROUS POLICY
OF NEW Secretary
Popularity Lost by Reason of
Crane Incident Regained
by Mr.. Knox.
PUNISHMENT OF ZELAYA
ACTION or THIS GOVERNMENT
VERY GENERALLY UPHELD.

Washington, Dec. If the now IA
nous Crane incident" has inspired dis
trust over the Knox administration OF
the state department, and caused fear
that its standard was to fall below that
Of the Root regime, the events Of the
last week have done much to dispe
such condition of the public mind.
The Nicaraguan affair has been han
died in such a firm and vigorous man
ner that foreign chancellOries have
come to the conclusion that the days of
''shirt-sleeves craftsmanship" in the
United States are over. The public may
we'll take the same view.
Many ugly and sinister reports were
scattered broadcast concerning the dis
missal Of Charles r. Crane, once min
ister-designate to China. Some Of them
reflected on Secretary Knox, some on
his subordnates including Assistant
Secretary Wilson.
The incident gave the state depart
ment heavy handicap at the very mo-
ment when ii was about TO launch an
aggressive far eastern policy. 1t aroused
strong prejudices against Mr.. Knox,
and predictions were freely made that
his administration would be a failure.
Then came the Nfcaraguan revolution.
There was 20 direct way for the United
States 10 interfere, although morally the
state department would be justified in
throwing all possible influence against
President Zelaya, who has been a great
mischief-maker in Central America for
years.
Where zelaya Fell Down.
When the Nicaraguan dictator, how
ever, executed two Americans, Leonard
Groce and Leroy Cannon, on November
l., II provided the opening wedge for
which the state department had been
looking. He there Overshot his mark,
aTrOgantly confident that the United
States would pursue the uncertain pol
icy which at one time characterized its
treatment of Latin-American affairs.
Probably he has already suffered a rude
awakening.
Before the dispatch telling Of the sum
mary fate delt out TO the two captured
Americans had been in the hands Of
Secretary Knox, three hours, two war
vessels had been ordered to Nicaraguan
waters, even before public announce
ment of the circumstances was made,
the state department had adopted
clearly-dehned policy, and the public
mind was not kept in suspense longer
than the time required TO read two sim
UltaneOUs newspaper dispatches.
Three warships, the Vicksburg, Des
MOines and the Marinetta, are all this
time in the harbOrs OF COTintO and Fort
Limon, and a fourth, the Tacoma, is
ready to steam from Colon to any Mic
araguan port on an hours notice. The
transport Buffalo is en- route from
PichilinquO bay, California, to Panama,
for the purpose Of transporting 800 ma
rines into Nicaraguan territory, ready to
protect American life and property.
Another trOOpship, to carry 400 ma
rines, is ready TO sail from Philadel-
phia. Action followed swiftly upon the
outrage to the American flag offered by
Zelaya.
Regarding the International law
points involved, an American military
man, who was a member of the last
Hague conference, and is a recognized
authority on international law, says:
international Law.
''The international law regarding neu-
trality prevent flibustering or other
armed and unfriendly expeditions in
vading another country. If men in such
expeditions are captured, they must be
returned to their own governments for
trial"
This cannot, however, prevent one or
more citizens from joining the military
AulCtS u duULlEL country WnelueT gov
ernmental or revolutionary, if they do
as individuals, and Of course the gov
eminent cannot be held responsible for
their acts.
If two men, as appear in this case,
allied themselves with either a regular
or revolutionary army and were acting
under directions OF their superior Off
GERS. or army authorities, they can be
taken as prisoners Of war and tried by
6 military court
mo court acting within the lines Of
The Hague agreements can sentence
any man, native or foreign, TO execu-
tion. except that he be proved to be a
spy acting Independently of any mill
tary organization But these men do
not appear to be classed as spies. The
moment a man enters any army of a
foreign country he fcrfeits his right to
the protection of his own government, /
and is subject to the laws Of that coun-
try"
According TO this explanation, the
only right under which Nicaragua could
have summarily executed Cannon and
Groce, was that they were held as spies !
This was not the case, however, since
ihe official explanations show that they