The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-07-21
BRYAN'S PROPOSAL
EXPECTED BRING
INQUIRIES
SUGGESTION OF PRoTEcToRATE
OVER NICARAGUA ARoUsEs
kEENEsT INTEREST.
POLICY MAY Be EXTENDED
All Of Central America May Eventually
Come Under Plan-United States
Government Will Not Guarantee
Debts of the Republic.
(By Associated Press }


Washington, July 21.-State Depart
ment officials are expecting inquiries
from Europe regarding Bryan's pro-
pcsal of a virtual protectorate over
Nicaragua. The proposal aroused the
keenest interest in Latin-American
circles with some hint of opposition.
Secretary Bryan's plan for the extern
sion of the protecting wing of the Unit
e6 States over Nicaragua, broached to
: The Senate Foreign Relations Commit
zee Saturday with the consent and ap-
Iproval of President Wilson, has become
THE absorbing topic of diplomatic afln.
( congressional consideration Whileof-
fetal utterances have not been given
of the administration purpose to out
line a general policy toward Central
America, members of the Senate evince
a growing conviction that the principle
to be applied to Nicaragua is one which
the Wilson administration would be
glad to see extended to the other Cen
trail American republics.
Members of the Foreign Relations
Committee who were present when
Secretary Bryan unfolded his plan
Saturday. continued to assert they
could not discuss the new development.
The original Nicaraguan treaty has
been the subject of open discussion
among Senators. This compact. how
ever, did not go further than to guaran-
tee the United States exclusive canal
rights and a naval base site in ex-
change for a payment of $4,000
in gold.
The later project to extend virtual
protectorate over Nicaragua has as
sumed the character of an internation-
al policy, which members of the Senate
are discussing with emphatic express
sion. 1t is believed that Senators Ba-
con, Clarke of Arkansas. Borah and
other influential members of the For
eign Relations Committee will take a
general attitude of opposition toward
the Bryan-Wilson plan; while Senator's
O'Gorman. Burton and several others
are known to favor many of its essen
tial points.
Secretary Bryan has not proposed, it
is understood, that the United States
shall assume or guarantee the debts of
the republic of Nicaragua The desire
of Nicaragua for control of its customs
resources by the United States, so
that it could secure loans to refund its
pressing debt, has been known for some
time, and met the opposition Of the Sem
ate Foreign Relations Committee, when
it came before that body in a form of
definite treaty agreement. Secretary
Bryan's plan calls for definite state
ment of policy that would guarantee
Nicaragua's independence, would guar
antee the control by the United States
of that country's dealings with foreign
nations, and would put into definite
terms the recognized principles of the
Monroe doctrine. prohibiting foreign
nations from securing foothold on the
American continent,
1t Is understood, however, that the
only agreement upon the question of
the internal finances of Nicaragua
would be embraced in that part of the
treaty by which Nicaragua would bind
herself not to assume or contract any
public debt" in the discharge of which
"the ordinary revenues OF the nation
after defraying expenses of the govern
ment, shall be inadequate" Under thi,
tguarantee Of financial stability, II is be
iieyed Nicaragua would find 1t possibl
8 ospeedily to revise her fiscal system
and Shtain forsgn aid for necessar
public development.
: The only specific payment to be mad
i by the United States s the $4,000, 90
- Id gold to be paid for perpetual e,
70 elusive canal rights over the Nicaragu
n route, and the naval bases in the Ba
o. of Fonseca and on the Great Corn an
Little Corn islands in the Caribbea
So Sea.
p, Nicaragua's finances have been Il
Continued on Page Four.)
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