The Sentinel=record., 1912-04-14
KNOX BACK
 ID AMERICA
PURPOSE OF HIS VISIT TO LATIN AMERICAN REPUBLICS GRAD.
 UALLY MADE KNOWN.
If United States Assumes Protectorate Over These Countries 1t Must Also Guarantee Them Stable
 Governments,


 1 secretary of state sailed for home this evening we'll satisfied, he says, with his diplomatic mission to the Central American republics and the countries in the Caribbean.
 The cruiser Washington. with the Knox party aboard, steamed out of Havana harbor at o'clock, bound for Norfolk. She will arrive there Tuesday night and the following morning the party will trans-ship to the presidents yacht Sylph, arriving at the capital Wednesday evening.
 Secretary Knox soon will begin an other trip-this time by land April 30 he will speak at New Orleans on the occasion of the centennial celebra- ton of the admission of Louisiana to statehood He will then go to San Francisco, where, on May ', he will speak on the Panama Canal On May he will deliver a political address in the same city. He is also sched- uled to address the newly organized Pan-American society at New York on some date after the middle of May. He will then make public the con- clusions reached as result of his two months trip among the neigh boring republics.
 It can be said with assurance that 1 Mir. Knox returns more determined than ever in the policy with which as name has been linked. Those who travelled with him have received tho impression that he believes the Unit ed States, in maintaining the Monroe doctrine, has assumed an obligation it cannot dodge, Having built a wall around these countries, making it inn | possible for European or other powers to step in to restore order or compel these governments to fulfill their financial obligations, he believes it is incumbent upon the United States to see that stable governments are maintained and that the governments live up to their international obliga- tions.
 A feature of the matter on which the secretary has touched only guard edly is the possibility that unless the United States can bring about the de sired condition Of affairs, some other country having interests at stake will make an issue of whether the United States has the right to defend these governments unless she is able to guarantee their good behavior
 There is no doubt that one of the chief benefits of the trip will be de- rived from the personal contact the secretary had with the heads of these states.
 At each capitol Mr. Knox had pri- yate talk with the president While these conversations may not have become public. their character were such that they were not to be easily forgotten For instance, 1t is believed that in Guatemala city, Secretary Knox said to President Cabrera in effect in the future Guatemala, which has not been oyerscrupulous in ad- | herring to the Central American peace pact, would be judged by acts and not by words There also IS reason 10 believe that Cabrera repi1ed that Guatemala was willing to be so ! judged.
 | In Panama, President Arosemena, who was on leave of absence from his official post, visited the Ameri- can secretary, it was generally con. ceded. to make political capital. His reelection to the presidency. as Pan amans viewed it, would have been a violation of at least the spirit of the constitution. A few days after Sec retary Knox left Panama, Aresemena eliminated himself as a candidate. Mir. Knox takes no credit for this develop. ment, but the coincidence was no ticeable.
 | In Costa Rico the secfetary made a splendid impression. He believes his visit went far to remove suspicion
 that the United States wished tC
 force Costa Rica into the Centra
 American union
 In Nicaragua the secretary gave nc } comfort to General Mena. whose cleo ton by congress to the presidency ii considered by other factions viola l ton of the Dawson convention, noi