Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-13
TWENTY NATIONS
ON ALLIES SIDE
Few Countries in Western Hem
isphere Remain in Neu-
trail Column.
NICARAGUA LATEST TO ACT
Central America Is Now Wholly
Hostile to Germany and
Austria.
NICARAGUA LATEST TO ACT
Especial to The Times Dispatch. ]

Especial to The Times Dispatch
WASHINGTON, May l2.-Whcn the
republic of Nicaragua formally declared
war upon Germany and Austria. the
twentieth nation of the world array
cd itself against the central powers
and dedicated itself to the cause of the
allies. Less than n dozen autonomous
governments now remain neutral. even
including Russia and her subdivisions
Only very small handful of ra-
tions on the Western Hemisphere have
maintained their neutrality. Spain,
Holland. Switzerland, Denmark. Norway
and Sweden. among the governments of
Europe. are still on "A friendly basis
with both groups of bellgcrcnts. but
practically all of Asia. practically all
Of Africa. all of North America save
Mexico and most Of Latin America has
taken sides one way or the other.
Until the United States went Into the
war. the independent nations of this
hemisphere kept aloof from the CON
nict. Most OF them had grievances
against Germany, and the rights Of all
of them were ignored in the ruthless
submarine campaign which Germany
inaugurated. but 1t remained for Amer
lea to take the lead in defense of .hr
lives and property Of North and South
American peoples
Six American nations are now active
belligerents. This country's declara-
ton OF war upon Germany on AEril
6, 1917. was followed the next day
by similar declarations on the part OF
Cuba and Panama. Four days later
Brazil severed diplomatic relations with
Germany and on October &c declared
war upon that country Guatemala,
on April %, severed relations with
Germany and declared war upon her
on April 81. The action of Guatemala
strongly influenced Nicaragua, which
country. on May 5. issued fiat decla-
ration of war and ordered the nobili-
zation Of her army.
TWELVE: NATIONS SEVER
RELATIONS WITH ENEMY
In addition to the twenty nations
now warning upon the central powers.
twelve more have broken all friendly
relations with those governments.
which is the last step before dcnrite
belligenency is assumed. A large ma
jority of these twelve nations are in
Central and South America. and every
one in that majority took the step in
a spirit of support of the United
States.
Bolivia was the first OF this group
to sever her diplomatic relations with
Germany That was on April II, 1917.
one after another of the Latin Ecy-
ernments followed suit. Costa Rica
handed his passports TO the German
minister on September 2l: Haiti, on
June ia; Honduras. on May II: Peru.
on October 6: Uruguay. Oh October Z;
Dominican Republic. on June s; Ecua-
dor, OH December Z
This leaves only Argentina. Chile.
Colombia, Venezuela and Paraguay on
friendly basis with the central
powers among the South American
states. Central America is now hostile
to Germany and Austria. and. AS al
ready stated North America. with the
exception OF Mexico. is actually at war.
RELATIONS BETWEEN GERMANY
AND ARGENTINA ARE STRAINED
The relations between Germany and
the Argentine are strained. Again and
again these countries have been on
the edge Of q break. but each time Ger
many has seemed TO make satisfactory
concessions to, the South American re-
public. Chile has had no serious con-
troversies with Germany although
Chilean neutrality has been repeatedly
houted by the Germans. Colombia
would doubtless have broken with the
central powers if il had not been for
the long controversy between that
country and the United States over the
formation of the Panama republic.
Venezuela has taken little or no in
terest in the conflict one way or the
other.
Practically the entire civilized world
is either at war with Germany and
Austria or else has broken relations
with those governments. AT the pres
ent hour there are twenty telligerent
enemies of the central power, that is.
twent nations which has declared a
state Of war existing between them
and the Teutonic allowance. Nor does
this list include either Russia or Rou-
mania, both of which have negotiated
peace with their enemies.
glance at the long list OF the
allies gives the impression that there
are very few nations now at peace any-
where in the world. And there are
very few left. The roster of Germany's
enemies. for instance. includes France,
Great Britain, Italy, United States,
China. Cuba. Belgium. Greece, Japan,
Liberia Panama. San Marino, Serbia,
Siam, Brazil. Nicaragua. Portugal and
Guatemala.
This shows that practically all Eu.
rope has been drawn into the mael-
strom of war. Africa. n continent OF
colonies. has necessarily become bel
ligerent territory. North and South
America, as already shown haze
yielded to tho magnet. And now
practically all Asia has become fight
ing ground. Mysterious Central AHA
has been lost sight OF by the other
warning governments. but there is now
little o. that continent that is al
peace. Japan, China, Siam. India and
all Turkey are belligerent. Siberia Is
pretending that it Is at peace, but all
the world knows that 1t Is not.
Within the past few weeks the Ar
menian colonies in Russian Turkestan
and Trans-Caspiah districts agreed to n
general mobilization against the Turks