Evening star., 1918-05-19
BY CHARLES N. PEPPER.
ENTRAE Americas line

~EN TRAL Americas lineup
III against Germany promises to be
N even closer than South Ameri-
~ cas-. The other day news came
that Nicaragua had taken the step
which ranged her alongside Of her
neighbor, Guatemala. by declaring
state of war against the Hun. This
places the two largest countries in Cen
trail America in the anti-German block.
The declaration that state Of war
existed with Germany was made by the
national assembly. or congress, Of Mica
ragua. The congress these, as in the
other Central American countries, con-
sists of a single branch. Consequently.
there is no delay when it comes to get
ting down to business, and the Mica
raguan government had~concluded that
1t was time to get down to business with
Germany.
In the military sense, Nicaragua. as
O belligerent. may not mean much to
Berlin, and Nicaraguan soldiers may
not be brought to the western front, al
though there is a Nicaraguan army.
But in the international sense there IL
very definite meaning in Nicaragua be-
coming a belligerent, because when the
peace settlement Is arranged she Will
have to be considered in that role in
stead of as a neutral, and this means
that Germany will be under the neces-
sity Of seeking to retain what advantage
she had of a commercial nature in
Nicaragua, or rather to have them
restored. while IL Nicaragua has re-
manned neutral Germany would have
been able to assume that trade would
20 on just as it did before the war. and
there would be no need Of special
treaty.
There is deeper Significance. how
ever. in Nicaragua's action because 1t
lines her up directly with the United
States. and places her in the category
Of the Latin American countries which
ara ready to come within the sphere
Of Influence OF this country. Though
the present administration owes its
power to the good will of Washing
ton, there has been some friction
growing out Of the oversight exer-
cised by the State Department in the
distribution of the 100000 which
the United States paid Nicaragua for
canal rights.
Washington showed a benevolent
concern in preventing any revolu-
tionary activities at the last election
In Nicaragua, and one Of the leading
candidates withdrew out of Difference
to its wishes. though this was not
>quite the way in which it was put in
the diplomatic correspondence. With
q small detachment OF United States
marines stationed permanently in
EfcaraSua, and with the Washing
tions by opposition parties In force.
the new administration was enabled
to administer the affairs Of the coun-
try with reasonable degree of sat
1sfaction to all the elements except
the irreconcilable opposition which Is
to be found in every Latin American
republic.
Good relations with Washington
have become more pronounced as
the months have passed. and now, fol-
war with Germany, the coming of
Gen. Chamorro as minister is an
nounced. For some time Nicaragua
has been represented only by a charge
de affaires. but since the country has
become q belligerent ana is ranged
on the eide Of lhe United States. the
pre9ence Of a minister to take up
the diplomatic and other questions
growing out Of this cooperation IL
thought desirable.
HH
Nicaragua has presented q less IA.
vorable field for German intriKues
than some of her neighbors. There
was no opportunity for using Corinto,
the port on the Pacific. or Bluefields
on the Atlantic as bases of German
submarine action or as means of sup
plying the sea raiders. German COM
mercial and financial interests were
not large. although theye were not
altogether absent. Some Gesmsps
were engaged in raining Soffee. md