The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-21
PARIS AID SOUGHT
IN HONDURAN PLOT
Policarpo Bonilla Sent to Seek
Hearing Before Peace
Council.
CARAVANS HAND SEEN
Secret Treaty With Salvador
Believed to Be in Interest
Of Mexico.
Special Dsspafch TO THs Sun.

WAsHNoToN. April 2o.-The Hondu-
ran Government following the exposure
in THE Sun last week OF the secret
agreement between Francisco Bertrand,
President of Honduras, and Carlos Me-
lendez, lately President of Salvador, has
despatched to Paris Policarpo Bonilla,
an ex-Presldent OF Honduras, to try to
support tho pact
In their agreement. carefully kept So
cret. the Honduran ex-President and the
ox-prcsident of Salvador arranged 20
annul the constitution of their respective
countries. merge the nations into one.
mako Melendez President OF the new
country and Bertrand Vice-President.
President Carranxa of Mexico has been
in the plot and ats SUCCESSFUL working out
would mean squeesing Guatemala be-
tween the new made nation and Mexico.
Senior Bonilla was a strong friend OF
che Zelaya regime in Nicaragua and
notoriously anti-American. He ia under
instructions to present the Bertrand
Melendes pact in the best Night he can
before the Peace Council II possible and
failing that before the best official audi
errce he can obtain
Hondurans Being Warned.
The hopes of the supporters of the re-
cret agreement are very considerably
dampened by publication in THE Sun
of the details OF the agreement and Its
subsequent appearance in the press OF
Europe and Latin America. In addition
to this thousands of posters have made
their appearance throughout Honduras
under the caption Alert. Hondursns !"
| giving to the people OF the nation the
gist OF the Northumberland plot and
yya that hA nf a
whole movement Is to turn the country
over to Mexican control.
| Sambola Jones, American Minister to
Honduras has inquired of President Ber-
trand regarding the truth OF statements
that the mails are being rifed and that
kilograms are held up and censored
Whereupon Bertrand sent kilograms to
tho Commentaries" at all of the ports
and principal cities ordering that the
| malls and Geographic communications
should not be interfered with in any
way. A copy of the telegram wa, fur
nished TO the American Legation.
1t was learned to-day. however, or
unimpeachable authority that within
two hours President Bertrand issued
! these instructions he counternanded
them by kilograms sent IN code to every
| official to whom the first telegram was
sent. This interference Is designed &c
| ~ NHt inc PRESIDENCY
| or DR.. Alberto Membreno, who is op-
posing Nazario Soriano, brother-in-law
OF Bertrand, who will seek the Presi.
dency In the coming elections
| Refugees Reach Washington.
| People are leaving Honduras in con
| siderable numbers fearing revolution anC
bloodshed II Bertrand seeks to insist o,
carrying out his agreement with Melen
| oeZ. number of these virtual refu
| gees have reached Washington,
Although Bertrand has continued nj,
policy OF censoring from the press any
! thing favorable to DR.. Membrane ant
lately has forbidden even the pubItca
ton OF his picture the first signs OF re
volt in his own organization are beinl
seen. officers of the Honduran army
thought to be directly behind Presiden
| Bertrand have refused TO obey certain
orders given them without sufficient OK
PLANTATION. Bertrand TO overcome thi,
! incipient revolt in the army, on which
he has counted for svrrort, has gon,
even so far as TO threaten them witt
Salvadoran troops,
Reports OF the feeling in Salvado,
! reaching here are that the educated
class there are beginning 10 oppose III,
| Bertrand MelendeZ pact, which is grad
ually becoming known TO them. They
see in carrying 1t out an alliance witt
| Carranza and eventual absorption Of
/ Salvador by Mexico. Salvadorans VIII,
| have come hero assert that unless tn,
! plot is upset by the American State
| Department or otherwise, practically al
Central America Is threatened with civil
war.