New-York tribune., 1918-07-29
DR.. Clayton Secord Tells
How the Kaiser Plotted
Against Guatemala
Backed Land Claim
To Hold Influence
San Salvador Also Used in
Attempt to Acquire
Naval Base
By Carter Field


many working through Mexico and
Salvador, attempted to control Hon
duras, and actually prevented that
country from declaring war on the
Central Powers until very recently. was
told President Wilson last week by Dr..
Clayton Secord, of Guatemala.
DIR. Secord has lived in Guatemala for
eighteen years. Prior to that time he
lived in Nebraska and worked on "The
Omaha World Herald" owned then.
as now, by Senator Gilbert NJ Hitch
cock, Of Nebraska. DR.. Secord called
first at the Foreign Relations Commit
tee Of the Senate, of which Mr.. Hitch
cock is chairman, and from the Sena-
tors Office was "certifedv to the
White House
Although Dr. Secord has retained his
American citizenship during ell these
years, he is one of the most trusted ad-
visers of President Cabrera, and is
sometimes called the Colonel House
of Guatemala While IN Washington
he conferred not only with the Presi-
dent, but with officials OF the State De-
partment.
When I asked him the object of his
mission here he turned the subject TO
the aid which the American Red Cross
had extended to the people of Guate-
mala after the earthquake, saying this
assistance had prevented an epidemic.
He especially mentioned the service of
DR.. A. NJ. Struce, of the Rockefeller
Foundation.
Honduras Stayed Out
"The people of Guatemala" he said,
in speaking of this gratitude. unlike
those of Mexico and some other Cen.
tral American states, principally Sal
vador aad large element in Honduras,
are very pro-American. 1t Will tie os-
served that Honduras did npt break
with Germany or declare war until the
recent Allied victory.
"Guatemaia. on the other hand.
broke with Germany in 1917. protest
ing against frightfulness and unlimited
submarine warfare as against the
rights of civilized peoples
AT this point DIR. Secord chuckled in
approved Central American style.
Il love that civilized in that connec-
tion,' he explained Some wears ago
Guatemala sent Juan Barrios as Minis
ter 10 Germany. The Kaiser refused
to receive him, saying 10 civilized peo-
pie would receive minister from
Guatemala. The real point was. OF
course, that even at that time our
President Cabrera, who is most far
seeing diplomat and statesman, had
realized something of what the Ger
mans were trying TO do IN their frantic
desire for world dominion, and had
taken steps which tfwarted certain
German schemes.
"Barrios later came to Washington
as our minister, while the Kaiser,
showing the real reason for his dis
pleasure against us, instead Of ignor-
ing our country, sent a sub-secretary Of
the German Foreign Office as Minister
to Guatemala. He wanted to see if
real brains would overcome our
opposition and outwit our Presidents
efforts to block German plans.
Germans Sought Peninsula
"The Germans then camoufiaged a
little. An alleged Engl1shman lust
six years ago came TO Guatemala and
wanted a concession or a large penin-
sula which juts out into the Caribbean
just on this side o our boundary line
with Honduras. This tongue of land
besides being very large is indented
with numerous deep water coves and
bays and would make an ideal military
or naval base. SO President Cabrera,
whose secret service | don't mind say
ing Is excellent, had the thing investi-
gated He found that it was not Eng
hsh bat German Interests behind the
man asking the concession. We feared
the Huns might use the peninsula for
something else than raising cocoanuts
and corozo nuts the avowed purpose,
so the concession was refused
NO sooner had this concession been
refused than there was noticeable TO
our secret service operatives a subtle
change among the Germans scattered
through Central America and Mexico
hey got behind d claim of Honduras
tor strip of our territory for in
stance. which. curiously enough would
nave given to Honduras that very
peninsula.
From secret communications which
cur operatives intercepted We DIS
covered beyond doubt that Germany
was working through certain Mexican
influences to control Salvador and
through her TO attempt 10 control
Honduras.
Americans Stoned
Especially since the war began in
Europe have the German influences al
tempted to destroy Guatemaia. sac
was the strong pro-Ally wedge from
the first in that quarter Of the world
and the strong oro-American county
Of all Central America As an instance
OF how successful The German propa
ganda was elsewhere | might point oul
that little more than year ago mop
stoned a hotel at San Salvador in when
We're a number OF Americans. Guate
maia is perhaps the only country II
Latin America where the teaching o.
English in public schools IS compui'
sorry.
Our President during the last fe"
years, has viewed with great alarm tns
gradual German aggressions lnsids
Guatemala itself He saw huge planta-
tion after plantation pass into German
hands, and big business house after
house controlled by German interests
81 have received word since coming
to the United States, that we are oe
ginning to follow the excellent exam.
pie of this country IN SEEING German
property, so that lhis German web 0,
hrsiOac- Nv which Sha meant To cOntfoA