Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-01
AMBITION IN WAY
Of FORMING UNION
Correspondent Outlines Oh.
staCIeS Which Bar Central
American Federation.
To the Editor Of The Star.

The states OF Central America have
often discussed that union recently the
subject of publications in The Star, which
was the dream Of Simon Bolivar, but
have continually receded, further and
further, from its accomplishment This
seems TO have been caused, usually, by
the ambitions of aspirants for the presi-
dency OF the proposed federation.
Only once in all the extended discus
sion of the project has a candidate of
merit and character appeared. When
federation seemed possible Senior Rosa
Pacas of FL Salvador was the most IA
vored for president He was a man of
culture and character. but was not salts
factory to the elements of dishonesty
and disorder. represented by Cabrera,
the tyrant of Guatemala, and the pro-
posed federation failed. Senior Pacas Is
removed by death from the troubled
field of politics. and the proposed fed
GRAFTON again appears. with Estrada Ca.
brera, President of Guatemala, as presi-
dent. Costa RicR and FL Salvador are
not taking part in the scheme, and that
they are wise will appear further on.
Cabrera has brought Guatemala to
condition of discredit, where the country
must get rid of him, or he must attach
1t to progressive states like Costa Rica
and Ell Salvador, that it may parasite
Classed as Astute Politician.
Cabrera is an astute politician. For
years he has advertised the public
schools Of Guatemala as the work of his
hands and the triumph of his admins
tration. He has erected temples to
Minerva, and dedicated them to the God
dess of Wisdom, with much ostentation.
Finally, with laudation of the high-class
learning he has installed. he has invited
the United States to send its children to
Guatemala to be educated. Offering them
board and washing free This offer was
made to Secretary of State Bryan. and
secured the wide publicity which seems
to have been needed and intended as a
background for recrudescence of the
Central American Union, with Cabrera
in front.
Now. it Is impossible to have schools
without books. and how the schools of
Guatemala came to have books is of spe-
cial interest just now. and of special
concern to some citizens of the United
States, and of general concern to all
countrymen who have definite ideas about
personal and public honor. More than
twenty years ago the congress of Guate-
mala by statute authorized the minister
of public instruction to enter into an
external contract for the printing and
production of complete set of text
books for the public schools. This con-
ister and the Pacific Press Publishing
Company of California. The books, for
ell grades in the schools, were produced
in the Spanish language, and included
poetry, literature and history pertaining
to Central America.
Terms Of the Contract.
According to the contract, the Pacific
Press Publishing Company was to pay
In, n ,rfa ;ph%
books and deliver them to such Guate-
malan port as the minister of public in
struction ordered. This was DONE and
schools of Guatemala were started on
these text books. BY the contract, Qua
temala on her part agreed to sell the
books for such prices in Guatemala as
would pay to the Pacific Press Publishing
Company it's contract price in American
gold.
The minister received the books, freight
carriage and insurance prepaid. receipted
for them, wrote a letter of fervid COM
p!iment to the American publishing COM
pany, and then sold the books. and
diverted the money 10 other purposes,
and twenty years have gone by and the
American publisher has not been paid
single peso for doing the work
1t was written in the contract that if
the publishing company had to send an
OF the account Guatemala would paw his
expenses. After trying vainly to get
Guatemala to keep faith, the publisher
sent such agent. After some years of
effort and importantly to get Guatemala
to pay debt that SO involved her honor
decency and national seIf-respect, she
issued her bonds for the debt, pledged
on certain excise taxes. These taxes were
collected the money was diverted to other
uses and the bonds were defaulted. and
the American publishing company has
never received a peso for printing the
thousands of text books for the public
schools Of Guatemala.
Suggestion to State Department.
With this record of dshonor the invita-
ton to send American youth to Guate-
mala, to get free board. washing and edu-
cation, takes on special interest, and it
is to be hoped that our State Department
will make acceptance contingent upon
Guatemala paying the American publisher
for the books our American children will
study if they go there.
There is a still darker side to the politi-
cal career of Cabrera, which will deter
the states concerned from charging his
power. AS far as public credit is con-
cerned. while that of Costa Rica and Ell
Salvador has constantly improved, Guate-
mala has gone backward until exchange
has touched 1.S0O; meaning that one dol
lar in the money of the United States is
worth 81, 800 in the 'monada nacional' of
Guatemala These facts bring into ridicule
the offer of Guatemala to educate free the
children of the United States. and they
are also admonitory to the other Central
American states to be watchful of
Cabrera. the domestic tyrant and inter-
national defaulter of Guatemala.
JOHN p. IRISH.
Oakland, Cal, September %.