The Washington herald., 1916-11-28
Seen and Heard
By George Miner


New York, Nov. 27.-While there
is constant discussion concerning the
presence of American troops in Mex
leo and our military occupation Of
the territory of friendly power, l
wonder how many Americans know,
or, if they did know, have forgotten,
that FIVE years we have carried on a
military occupation of another friend
ly country. It's fact nevertheless.
For FIVE years American marines
have been quartered in the National
Palace of Nicaragua. There are 800
of them there at the present moment
and their rifles about the polls un-
doubtedly controlled the recent Pres
idential election held there. When a
similar action took place in 1912, it
was acknowledged that the effect Of
the presence of the marines was to
prevent the Nicaraguan Liberal party
from voting, although this party rep
resents from IS to 80 per cent of the
voters of the country. The American
commander, Col. Long, admitted this
freely.
This Intervention by the United
States stopped internal strife and put
into the Presidential chair the rep
resentative of small minority party.
The same performance has been re-
peated at the recent election, the
representative of a small minority
has been made president.
No wonder that the administration
so established should be pro-Ameri-
an. Also it is no wonder that many
measures were carried through by
the Nicaraguan government and its
American advisers, some of which
were for the benefit of the country,
but most of which have been for the
benefit of American pockets.
L. Edwyn Elliotte, the editor of
the Pan-American Magazine, has
made careful study of conditions
and events down there and has given
me some Illuminating information on
the Nicaraguan question.
when the United States govern
ment arranged for the insignificant
sum of 100000 to acquire the rights
over the Nicaraguan canal route, "
said this expert, that republic was
handing over for ever and ever the
integrity of the heart of her land.
The San Juan River and the cut
through Rivas to San Juan del
Sur, in whatever hands, is powerful
in its potentialities over not only
Nicaragua but three other Central
American countries as we'll
Entire rights on the San Juan
River are not Nicaragua's to give.
She shares it, for most of its length,
with Costa Rica. In like manner the
Gulf of Fonseca is not Nicaragua's 5
to bargain away. She shares it with
Salvador and Honduras. When then
a remarkably cheap bargain was
struck with Nicaragua alone by the
United States, without any attempt
to arrange matters with the three
other interested countries, it is not
strange that they protested.
"These countries are all .compara-
lively small. That fact does not ex-
clude them from right to a hearing
and justice.
Determining to assert this right
the three republics interested took
their case to the court of Cartago.
This court was established about
seven years ago with the applause of
all the Americas, was warmly ap-
proved by the United States and pre-
sented with its first splendid palace
by Mr.. Carnegie. This beautiful edi-
fee was hurled into a dust heap by
the earthquake in 1910 and rebuilt in
San Jose. 1t was agreed that all dis
putes between the FIVE countries
should be settled by it.
"To San Jose, then, went the three
appellants against the contract made
by Nicaragua without the consent of
her neigdbors.
"The court has recently reported
its decision. Nicaragua is in the
wrong and the appellants are right.
Nicaragua cannot sign away the
rights of the San Juan River and Of
Fonseca Bay as if they belonged to
her alone.
Nov what happens? Nicaragua,
who had formally agreed to accept
the decisions of this Central Ameri-
can court of justice, now refuses to
do so. The United States, patron and
urger of arbitration, says she was no
party to the agreements of the five
nations to accept decisions from their
court and-the court be darned!
| "This has aroused a very unfriend-
ly feeling and there is now a bitter
distrust of the United States in Cen
trail America. 1t could all have been