The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-12
PROPOSED TRIP OF SECRETARY KNOX CAUSES COMMENT Diplomats Discuss Interna- tional Aspect of the
 Journey TAFT HAS CHOSEN AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT Recent Speech in New York Is Con nected With Present Proposal.
 South Americans Profess
 To Be Much Pleased
 


 soon to be made by Secretary Knox al the etion of President Taft 10 the co < s bordering on the Caribbean sf 1
 -.Sapean diplomats, recalling re-
 speech of MT Knox before thu 0S York State Bar association. on tho So ,oe doctrine, look upon the pro : Q d trip with more than passive sS rest That speech is LOW being in , ; preted as the latest notice given ba 2 United States that ths principle oi
 meriea for Americans must be ob
 erved
 Central American diplomats wer' una nimous in their statements toda. that the secretary's visit not oniA would allay international doubt as t' the attitude of the United States gov ernmant toward their countries, bu would warn off possible encroachment' of nations in the other hemisphere.
 Present State of Unrest
 The present state of unrest in man, Latin American countries, the effort' of the state department to maintain neutrality as between tho republics O the south, and it's endeayors to un ravel their financial tangles, have pro ceeded it is said not without the DO tential influences of world powers.
 Particular attention was drawn by { number of diplomats, discussing ths wide circulation now being given t' Secretary Knox's speech to those posi-, tions in which he advocated the i'm mediate adoption of the loan conven tions with Nicaragua and Honduras now pending in the United States Sen ate. It was pointed out that MT. KnoN had urged their passage because ol the ever increasing political reason o1 avoiding the danger of European en- tanglement in the affairs of the eoun- tries surrounding the Caribbean
 Another paragraph that elicited re- newed comment today was that lf which he said:
 "The logic of political geography and of strategy and now our tremendous national interest created by the Panama canal make the safety, the peace and the prosperity of Central America, and t,ar zaue.o os tic f'srihhesb4 s@ } aram eifpf interest to the United states, Thus th' malady of revolutions and financial col lapse is most acute precisely in tht region whore 1t is most dangerous [, us. Ii would not be sane to uphold n great policy like the Monroe doc trine and not include it's necessary corollaries and neglect the sensible measures which reason dictates as safe guards
 European Pressure
 II was announced today that inc adopted policy of the United States to bolster up the countries in trouble on this hemisphere--had in a measure been a conseduence of pressure from European countries To prevent inter- ference in countries where European financial interests have suffered losses through the volatile and incompetent administration of Central American poi iticians, the United States has taken a decided stand, though not without meeting the apprehensive scrutiny oi political parties in some of the re- publics.
 IL is understood that aside from the moral effect that Secretary Knox's visit may have in removing suspicious of American territorial aggrandizement the heads of various Central American countries will receive a personal ex- plantation of the hopes of the United States with reference to the Panama canal.
 Opinion was general among the Cen tral American diplomats that Presi- dent Taft had chosen an opportune mo- ment to send Secretary Knox to the Caribbean.
 Diplomats Comment
 Dr. Joaquin Mendez. minister from Guatemala. said "I believe the visit will be fruitful of results in those countries which will, within a short time, receive a great stimulus through the opening of the Panama canal"
 Senor Calvo. minister from Costa Rica, but speaking also on behalf of Salvador, whose minister is absent. de- clared that the visit of Secretary Knox would help to continue that good re- lationship."
 Dr. Fausto Dayilla. minister from Honduras. was so impressed with the announcement of Secretary Knox's trip that he will make a special trip to this country to be there when MT. Knox ar riyes.
 Dr. Salvator Castrillo. minister from Nicaragua, predicted that the political parties who had misrepresented the at tit1lde of the United States as ag- grandizing and ambitious territor ially, would learn from Secretary Knox that the United States harbored no such intention.
 Republics Gratified
 Senor Rivero, the Cuban minister. who represented his country in Mex leo when Secretary of State Root vis- tied there, declared: "I believe and hope that Secretary Knox's trip will be as beneficial in the relations between Cuba and the United States as was Mir. Roots trip in South America"
 Senor Rojas, the minister from Ven ezuela. began immediate communication with the President of his country, pre- pairing for MT. Knox's reception. The representatives of Iayti, the Dominican republic and Panama expressed grati- fication, al did others likewise.
 Mir Knox, 1t was announced today. will leave here tomorrow night for Palm Beach. Fla. where he will re- main for week, while the cruiser Washington Is preparing to receive him. About Wednesday, February 21. he plans to leave. and probably will sail directly to Colon, Panama. After visiting the canal, he will embark from the Pacific coast of Panama on the cruiser Maryland, proceeding up the west coast of Central America, because many of the capitals of these coun- tries are more accessible from the Pa cific side. Crossing Guatemala by rail. he will be met again by the cruiser Washington at Porto Barrios, and will sail for Caracas. Venezuela, thence 10 Porto Rico. santa Domingo, Haiti and Cuba.