The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-22
BRYAN N|CARAGUAN
PROPOSAL RECEIVES
HEARTY SUPPORT
Senators Enthusiastic Over
Supervision Plan-"The
Monroe Doctrine in
Advance"

ment officials are expecting inquiries
from the European powers respecting
its details
The suggestion that the plan be ex-
tended to cover all territory near the
est interest in Latin American circles
with some hints of amassed opposition
Salvador recently made some objections
to the Nicaraguan treaty in its original
form, and Costa Rica more recently OBJ
jected to certain provisions relating TO
the proposed canal route, but the lat
| ter were based solely upon a claim for
consideration in connection with the
use of the San Juan river which Costa
Rica claims as her territory.
Europes interest. however, is chiefly
in the investments of her subjects in
enterprises and securities of Latin
America.
An association representing those in
terests has recently been supportedby
the British, French and German gov
ernments and very recently Great Brit
ain made naval demonstration against
| Guatemala to enforce payment of in
| terest on bond issues.
| The object of European representa-
| tions will be to see that provision for
guaranteeing such obligations is made
in any treaties such as that proposed
with Nicaragua.
To Confer With Senate
| Secretary Bryan will confer on the
| project with the Senate foreign re-
lations committee next Saturday His
plan is said to have the support of
President Wilson
Assistant Secretary Osborne's recent
visit to Santo Domingo and Hayti has
brought up the suggestion that the
| system of American supervision of Gus
toms collections which has been in
| force for some time in Santo Domingo
might be extended to Hayti If that re-
| public is responsive to overtures.
| An informal poll of the committee on
| foreign relations indicated that the treaty
proposed Saturday by Secretary Bryan
would be indorsed with a safe margin
of votes and come into the Senate with
The backing of influential members of
both parties.
| 1t became known definitely that the
proposal does not bind the United States
20 any obligation for Nicaragua's out
standing debts.
Rehabilitation of the republics finances
is expected to come about through stabil-
! ity that would be givenAto future opera
tions through control to be exercised
| by the United States.
! Nicaragua would agree to make nc
debts in excess of its current resources,
| however, and the United States would
have authority to intervene at any time
to insure Nicaraguan independence or to
protect life and property.
No Foreign Treaties
| Nicaras qua would agree to make no for
eign treaties that would threaten its in
4 Ann a,,I h. f,..
pay Nicaragua $3,O0O,O00 for an exclusive
or omnibus right to build a canal route
| and for a naval base in Fonseca bay
] Proposed control by the United States
| over financial operations of Nicaragua
! virtually is an enforcement of the Mon
| roe doctrine in advance, said one men,
| her of the Senate foreign relations COM
mittee today Senators Hitchcock Suth-
/ erland, Mark Smith, O'Gorman and Stone
expressed approval of the general prin-
ciples of the proposal. Chairman Bacon
| of the foreign relations committee who
| vas strongly opposed to the original
4 Nicaraguan treaty said he believed the
| new proposal by Secretary Bryan greatly
| changed the situation and likewise en-
| titled the treaty to the most careful con-
| sideration.
/ The proposed treaty will be attacked
l i'll some quarters on the ground 1t would
| put moral obligation on the United
| States to see that Nicaragua refunds and
| pays her old debts though even the treaty
does not make this country directly re-
sponsibe for Them
! Whatever the actual result may be the
underlying purpose of the administration
in framing the agreement with Nicaragua
was to secure the concession for a canal
| route and the extension of the Platt
aiaeadment was merely an incident in
| the minds of the negotiators
This was developed In the course of a
conference between the President and the
| White House correspondents
| In the administration viewpoint the
| scope of the plan was not intended to be
laid down as general policy for all
Central America, but the affairs of the
| little republics are to be dealt with
separately as they may require attention
was partitioned.
Extreme Friendliness
| Attitude of the administration it is
said is one of extreme friendliness
| There is no disposition to force unon
oughly acceptable. The administration
knows nothing of the attitude of Costa
| Rica and Salvador as no representative
| have yet been set forth.
This is not dollar diplomacy In its
good sense said Senator Lodge in gen.
eral support of the plan.
Senator Borah. also a member of the
| foreign relations committee, attacked the
policy of the plan.
This means the going up of the Amer
lean flag all the way to the Panama
canal" he declared in a written state
ment ''It is the beginning of that policy
whose irrefutable logic is complete dom
nance and control and ownership by the
United States from here to the Panama
canal. 1t is not exactly in accord witt
! either the conception of those who
! formed the republic or our own present
profession of what it ought to be-
Senators Bacon, Lodge, Root Hitch
cock, OGorman, Stone. Smith of Ari-
zona, Sutherland, Burton and other mem
bers of the foreign relations committee
expressed in varying degree their ap-
i proval of the general principle advocated
/ by the administration. Many of these
| senators insisted, however, that the post
! poned plan would have to be worked ont
with great care, TO insure the full inde-
| pendence and freedom of action of Mica
raugua.
Draw Sharp Distinction
sharp distinction was drawn today be-
4 tween the character of the financial sup
| port proposed for Honduras and Mica
ragua under the Taft administration and
/ the guarantee of financial stability that
| would be given under the Bryan plan
| Senator Hitchcock, one of the strong op-
ponents of the former Nicaraguan and
Honduras treaties. said they sought to
bind the United States to enforce the col
lection of loans that were exorbitant ana
that would have bankrupted the country;
/ while under the Bryan plan the Uniteo
States would have the power to say at the
4 outset whether the financial contracts OF
Nicaragua are fair and Just
j In statement expressing approval of