The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-21
Senator Borah Sees Expansion
In Proposed Protectorate.
Other Central American Conn.
tries Expected to Follow.
TO LAND U. S. TROOPS
Gives Supervision of Finances
and Treaty-Making to q.
Uncle Sam Also Gets Right to
Build Another Big Canal.

Washington. July 21-strong sunnor4
mas developed in the senate for Pres,-
dent Wilson's policy of protection and
supervision over Nicaragua An In
formal poll of the committee on for
elgn relations today indicated that the
proposal Saturday by Secretary Rrvsn
would be indorsed with a safe margin
or votes, and come into the senate with
the backing of influential members of
both political parties.
IL became known definitely that tho
proposal does not bind the United
States to any obligations for the out
standing debts of Nicaragua. The re-
habilitation of the republics finances IS
expected to come about by the stability
that would be given to future opera
tions. Through the control to be ex-
ercised by the United States Nicaragua
would agree to make no debts in ex-
cess of her current resources, however,
and the United States would be given
right to intervene with troops at any
time to insure Nicaragua's independ-
ence or to protect life and property.
Nicaragua would agree to make no
foreign treaties that would threaten
her independence and the United States
would pay Nicaragua $1,000, 900 for an
exclusive right to build, a canal rour,
and for a naval base in the bay of
Fonseca.
Enforcement of Monroe Doctrine.
THE proposed control by the United
States over the financial operations of
Nicaragua is virtually an enforcement
of the Monroe Doctrine in advance"
said one member of the senate foreign
relations committees today Senators
Hitchcock Snfhar1aTd
O'Gorman and Stone expressed approv-
al of the general principles of the pro-
posal. Chairman Bacon of the foreign
relation committee who was strongly
opposed to the original Nicaraguan
treaty said he believed the new propos-
al by Secretary Bryan greatly changed
the situation and entitled the treaty
ito most careful consideration"
The proposed treaty will be attacked
in some quarters on the ground that
it would put moral obligation on the
United States to see that Nicaragua re-
funds and repays her old debts even
though the treatv does not make this
country directly responsible for them
Whatever the actual result may be
the underlying purpose of the admin
istration in framing the agreement
with Nicaragua was to secure the
concession for a canal route, and the
extension Of the Platt amendment was
merely an incident In the minds of
the negotiators. This was developed
in the course of conversation be-
tween the president and White House
correspondents today.
In the administration view the
scope of the plan was not intended to
be laid down as a general policy for
all Central America but the affairs of
the little republic are to be dealt
with separately as they may require
attention. The attitude of the admin
istration, 1t was said, is one of ex-
treme friendliness and there is no dis
position to force upon them any such
plan unless it is thoroughly accept
able.
American Flag All the Way TO Canal.
The administration knows nothing
of the attitude of the governments of
Costa Rica and Salvador, as no rep
resentationS have been made. "This
is not dollar diplomacy, 1t is good
sense" said Senator Lodge. in general
support of the plan. Senator Borah.
also a member of the foreign relations
committee. attacked the plan. ''This
means the going up of the American
flag all the way to the Panama canal,'
he declared in statement 'It is
the beginning of that policy whose ir-
REPUTABLE logic is complete dominance
and control and ownership by the
ma canal 1t is not exactly in accord
with either the conceptions of those
who formed the republic or our own
present professions of what it ought
to De-.
Washington. July 21.-Now that Sec
retary Bryan's proposal for a virtual
protectorate over Nicaragua has be-
come public. state department officials
are expecting inquiries from the Euro
pean powers respecting its details. Most
Of the diplomatic representatives of the
powers are absent from Washington at
the summer embassy and legations in
the north; consequently no views from
that quarter are available. The sug-
gestion, however. that the plan be ex-
tended to cover all the territory near
the Panama zone, has aroused the
keenest interest in Latin-American cir
cles with some hints of opposition
Salvador recently made some objsc-
tions to the Nicaraguan treaty In its
original form and Costa Rica more re-
Gently objected to certain provisions
relating to the proposed canal route,
but the latter are based solely upon a
claim for consideration in connection
with the use of the San Juan river
which Costa Rica claims as her terri
tory.