Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-05-15
AGREEMENT OF THE MONITOR
NATIONS WAS FIRST FoRMu-
LATED BY HIM.
ORIGIN OF MEDIATION OFFER
Mexico Itself Was First Called On to
Settle a Dispute over Boundary
Between Nicaragua and
Honduras.
ey GEORGE CLINTON.

tion of power with stable governments
under the direction of constructive
statesmen and 1t was added that there
were diplomats In Washington VINO
believed that II. when the Mexican
situation first became acute. the
United States had asked these coun-
tries to Join in representations to the
Mexicans the shadow of war would
not lie across the Rio Grande.
Argentina. Brazil and Chile finally
did make their effort to stop trouble
In Mexico by an offer of mediation.
No matter what the outcome. these
three Spanish-American governments
apparently have acted in good faith
and by their offer for the first time
have made themselves moving powers
In diplomacy in the western hemi-
sphere.
This offer of mediation from what
are called the A.-B.-C. countries OF
South America. a name given them
because A. and C are the Initials
of their names. was the development
of a plan which was laid in the days
Of the Roosevelt administration and
which largely was formulated by
Elihu Root, who was then secretary
of state. 1t certainly is cur!ously In
teresting that the development should
take the form which It has today In
view of the original facts in the case.
Originated by Root.
When Secretary of State Root went
to South America he made good
many public speeches. but in the In
ka toll rod fpIIi0
ly to the officials of Argentina. Brazil
and Chile about plan which he
hoped they would adopt to make them
morally and automatically powerful
In the preservation of peace In North
and South America.
Mr.. Root at one time visited the
capital of Mexico. Porfirio Diaz was
then president and to him Mr.. Root
said In effect Just what he had said
to the representatives of the govern
ments OF Argentina. Brazil and Chile.
The plan was to have these nations,
which apparently had become stable.
to act with the United States as mon
itor nations in settling troubles be-
tween the smaller countries Of North
and South America.
The officials of all four countries
were pleased with Mr.. Roots sugges-
ton. for II gratified their pride to
learn that the administration of the
government of the United States re-
garded them as fitted in every way TO
exercise equal influence with the
great northern republic in settling dis
putes. in preventing war and In lay
ing foundations for permanent peace.
Mexico Called on First.
Curiously enough II was Mexico
which first was requested to use its
influence as a monitor nation to set
tie a trouble between two of the small
er Spanish-American governments.
Nicaragua and Honduras became in
volved in difficulties over the matter
OF a boundary line. Hostilities were
threatened when four monitor nations
asked Mexico. the fifth monitor ma
ton, to use its good Offices which IT
did and Nicaragua and Honduras
made up and stopped not only their
preparations for hostilities, but their
chickering's
Finally as result of the develop
ment of the monitor nation plan the
country which proposed and another
country which ably seconded its adop-
ton, were asked by the three South
American monitor nations to allow
them to mediate In the trouble be
tween the two republics OF the North.
Looked Peaceful to New Man.
When the first sharp sign appeared
that the United States might go to
war with Mexico the exigencies of the
news situation in Washington caused
some of the metropolitan newspapers
of the country to send additional men
to the capital city to help out the reg
ular correspondents in their work
Every newspaper man who comes to
Washington sees things from new
viewpoint. He brings a fresh recep.
tiveness to the scene. One young
newspaper man who came here from
New York was asked to write just
tov' the whole thing struck him-the
excitement of the occasion. the way
of handling things and anything else
that came to his mind. Here are some
of the things that he set down on
paper after he had had time to print
on his mind the conception of things
as they came to him. 1t must be
confessed that this youth OF the me-
tropolis saw things In much more
peaceful light than others were able
to view them, but the story has the vir-
tues. 1t is thought. OF interest and pic
turesqueness. He writes in the third
p. -son:
He happened to come to Washing
ton yesterday, when there was mo-
ment's lull in the Mexican hostilities
He saw the president looking very
calm. with his mind on thoughts OF
peace again. He heard the secretary
OF the navy say with what appeared
to be a perfectly careless smile, that