Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-13
Dr.. Guardia of Costa Rica
Makes Statement Regarding
Central America.
SAYS PUBLIC SENTIMENT
NEGATIVES THE PROJECT
Proposition to Combine the Re.
publics Under One Head Still
Under Discussion.

DR.. r. Fernandez Guardia formerly
minister Of foreign affairs Of Costa Rica
who is in Washington on business for
his government, has issued a statement.
following similar one several days ago.
in which he deprecates reports of the
interest being taken by Latin Americans
in the project Of forming United
States of Central America
DIR. Guardia makes the statement that
IN Costa Rica no one is giving the mat
ter the slightest attention. but not
Withstanding this 1t is asserted today
III Central American diplomatic circles
that DIR. Luis Anderson. another former
minister Of foreign affairs of Costa Rica.
is one OF the most ardent advocates of
the proposed union. and one Of the most
1nsistent workers for the project.
DIR. Anderson, resident Of San Jose,
the capital Of Costa Rica, was the plen-
ipotentiary of Costa Rica at the Central
American peace conference held in
Washington I'm the fall Of 1907, which ap-
proved the principle Of the proposed
| union. and which established a bureau
of Central American republics in Guate-
| maia City, the capital of Guatemala to
which each of the five Central American
republics, including Costa Rica, sends a
/, commissioner. The purpose Of this bureau
| is to bring about unity of action in Cen
| trail American affairs by the five repub.
| lies.
| The subject of the proposed union con-
| tinues to be the daily subject of con-
versation among Latin Americans in
Washington, particularly at their gather
| ing place. the Bellevue Hotel At ever.
dinner luncheon or other formal or in
1 formal gathering the project is the mat
ter of debate among Salvadoreans, Costa
Ricans, Hondurans, Nicaraguans ane
| Gutemalans.
Will Be Informally Presented.
1t is said among diplomats and other:
in Latin American circles that the frs
/ broachng Of the project to the official.
of the State Department of the United
| States will probably come about in an in
| formal manner and a number of then
think it is possible that members of the
! Senate committee on foreign relations
!, will lay before the State Department the
| statements made to Senator Bacon a few
days ago by Central Americans visiting
/. in Washington.
1t is said by Central Americans that
| irrespective of the desire of some Costs
| Ricans not to participate in the projec
to form the union at this time, the sub
Ject is burning one among the majorit,
OF public men in the five countries ha
been SO for years and will continue t,
| be SO. In this connection a piece of un
/
the effect that a former president of on,
of the five republics, before coming int
Office. had the ambition to be the leade!
, In bringing about the proposed union
Upon his accession, it is related, he ac
| cumulated nearly $1,000 OOO in a wa
chest i'm New York, with which he pur
| chased artillery and rifles and ammuni
ton in Spain, with the intention Of start
: ing revolutions the past spring in thret
! of the Central American republics. hi.
ant of
and upon it being evident that the thre,
| republics We're exhausted it was his in
tention to step in and form the union b,
force OF arms, with himself as president
The death of this ambitious leader, how
ever, it is said, prevented the carryins
out of his plans.
1t IS also we'll known among Centra
American diplomats in Washington tina,
only last February certain steps were
| about to be taken to bring the matte
however, did not include the participa.
ton Of Guatemala. and for various rea
| sons it was not carried out.
DR.. Guardia's Statement.
| The statement of DR.. Guardia, sent te
The Star, is as follows:
After the statement published in The
Star by the distinguished minister from
Guatemala. Senor Mendez in which he
| assured us that the news published re-
iating to proposed union of the Cen.
| tral American republics is not based on
truth. according to a cablesram from,
Guatemala received by him The Star IN
Its issue of the 9th. published the news
that few Central American politicians
| former enemies OF Manuel Estrada Ca
brera. President OF Guatemala have call.
! ed on Senator Bacon, chairman of the
Senate committee on foreign affairs n
ash MIN 70 bring to the attention OF
! members OF the committee the project OF
:! creating the United States Of Central
! America, which continues today Tn h.
i the principal topic of discussion in Latin
| american circles in Washington, New
| YORK and New Orleans, AS well as i'm the
| capltais OF the countries concerned
Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Sal
EadOr and Nicaragua
am lmpeiled to protest against the
| latter part Of the above statement as
| incorrect. l am in position to as.
serI positively and authoritatively tina,
| IN Costa Rfca no one Is giving the. mat.
ter even the slightest attention: the
Costa Rtcan people are too much oc-
| cupied just now with their electoral
campaign to waste any time in the dis
cussion of utopian projects Further
,, more, Senior Mendez has assured us
| in The Star that in Guatemala also
the question OF a Central American
union is not under discussion.
From Salvador, Honduras and Mic
| news, but from what information
have been able to obtain here ! have
well founded reason to believe that In
those countries also no discussion is
taking place concerning the project
of the new friends of Senior Estrada
Cabrera who, up to the present mo-
ment, appear to be the only ones in
terested in reopening the question
which has caused the spilling Of so
much blood in Central America.
Not Familiar With Senator'S Views.
II have no means of knowing to
what extent Senator Bacon and the
other members of the Senate commit
tee on foreign relations are interested
in the project of the new friends of
Senor Estrada Cabrera, but it is natural
to suppose that the present admintstra-
tion, before taking any active interest
in the matter--if. indeed, 1t has any
desire to concern itself therein-Wiil
H.. n4ost careful to inform itself as to
every detail and. before all, give a
hearing to the countries Interested
..Proceeding along these lines, whicl,
Is the only equitable and logical
course to pursue. the government at
Washington will soon arrive at the
truth, and will thereby avoid many
pitfalls, for all who are familiar with
the affairs of Central America know