Evening star., 1912-08-28
AMERICAN TROOPS
COT0N|CARACUA;
CONDITIONS ACUTE
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maintenance of peace in Cuba. 1t is
| true that in each of these cases there
| was special warrant by treaty. for the
employment of American soldiers. but
State Department officials feel that
| like obligation has been imposed upon
the United States by the Dawson agree
ment. which terminated the Zelaya re-
bellion.
Aside from any question Of treaty au-
thorization. the administration is said to
be satisfied of it's rights under the prin-
ciples of international law to employ any
part Of the army and navy of the United
States for the protection of American in
terests, life and property in foreign
country where the de facto government
! is either unable or unwilling to extend
protection. Officials contend that such
| landing of American armed forces does
not constitute war in any sense. there
being no purpose of territorial aggression.
punitive purpose or permanent occupa-
| ton.
| 1t is declared that while there are fewer
| precedents for tn employment of regular
troops in landing expeditions, the fact is
accounted for by the far greater mobil-
| ity and availability of the marines and
bluejackets.
Mail Ship to Garry Troops.
One Pacific Mail ship now at Panama
will sail tomorrow with one battalion
of the 10th. leaving the remainder of
the regiment to be brought up to Co.
rinto on other ships.
| With the arrival of the 10th Infantry
and the marines now on the way,
| United States forces actually landed in
Nicaragua and on American warships
available for landing will be increased
to about $500 men. further i'm
| provement in the situation will be made
probably late today or tomorrow, when
the gunboat Denver arrives at San Juan
del Sur the cable station.
BY the operation of the wireless
equipment Of the Denver at the cable
station and that of the collier Justin,
| lying at Corinto with women and
children aboard, the State Department
at Washington practically will be in
! communication with American Minister
Weitzel, at Managua. The American
troops will be expected to keep free
from interruption the telegraph lines
| along the railroad from Managua to
| Corinto. These lines have been fire.
quently interrupted by small bands OF
! rebels taking stations along the route
! and the American force of marines has
/ been inadequate to keep the route
! open. Commander Terhune recently
| made one attempt to clear the line, but
=; the rebels showed such a hostile front
that he was forced to turn back
Precedent Supports Move.
Although the course of the United
States in landing forces on foreign soil
without expressed approval Of Congress
is now under investigation by a specia:
<h CIT
ton of Senator Bacon, who has vigorous
| ly opposed sending troops outside the
United States the State Department takes
the position that it is supposed not only by
precedent in China and Central America,
but also is bound by the so-called WASH
ington convention to protect rights and
property Of foreigners. and to further see
that the administration in Nicaragua Is
changed only by fair and free express
sion by ballot. The same attitude recently
was assumed in Panama. when this gov
ernment supervised the elections.
Furthermore, 1t is said there are fully
100 Americans owning plantations In
| Nicaragua who must be protected from
attack and looting of their properties.
| Many demands that this government pro-
| tect American interests there have been
| registered at the State Department. A
| large number of New Orleans merchants
| few days ago went so far as to protest
| to the department against the attitude of
Senator Bacon.
american Prestige Menaced.
They declared American prestige in
Central America would suffer immeasur-
ably if this government failed to protect
its citizens and their property. They
even predicted the spread of the unrest
| through other Central American states If
the situation were not promptly taken in
| hand.
Senator Bacon virtually charged on the
floor of the Senate that this government $
Interference in Nicaragua had connec-
| tion with the failure of the loan conven-
| tion by which Nicaragua was to have
borrowed several millions from Ameri-
can bankers. and under which treaty
the Nicarasuan railroads. steamships
| custom houses and national monopolies
| were to be administered by representa-
| tives of the American iinanciers.
| The DiaZ government against which
the present revolution Is being directed,
| is said to have approved the attitude Of
| the State Department in regard to the
| loan convention. Senator Bacon broadly
partment. that American forces were
| being used in aid of the political party
| which inclined 10 the depa rtment's views
and against the party opposed to them.
Deny Zelaya Is Backing Rebels.
Reports from other sources have said
that Ze!aya, the dictator deposed and
exiled to Europe in 1909. after the mur-
der of the two Americans. Cannon and
Groce, was behind Gen. Mena, leader Of
the revolutionists. This, however, is de-
MED by the prominent liberals who sup
port the revolution.
Although the gunboat Denver has not
American reinforcements, it is believed
at the Navy Department that the little
vessel is now In port there. The failure
| to inform the department of her arrival
is believed to be due to the difficulties in