New-York tribune., 1919-03-03
NcW J o,-lt 7ribnns

WASHINGTON. March 2 A Latin
American League Of Nations" has been
proposed IN negotiations which have
been going on since Christmas and
which have reached such a stage tnat
certain influential MeNicans and repre-
scntatives Of the Argentine Republic
have laid tho proposals before the gov
crnmcnts of many, if not all, Latin
American states
The objects Of the league. as stated
in arguments By its proponents, are in
line with those OF the world league
President Wilson has been advocating
with the additional idea Of protecting
all Of Latin America against the
United States.
Convinced that behind the Latin
American league idea is clever German
propaganda, which wishes to ALLEVIATE
the United States from the American
countries to the south. so that Ger
many will find the commercial recon
quest of that part of The world easier
when the trade war begins. American
citizens who recently returned from
Central and South America have laid
their discoveries before the members
of the Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee
Nicaraguan Situation Exploited
The Argentine and Mexican repub-
lies, it was reported to Senators, had
particularly high hopes of winning
speedy acceptance of their plans in
Central America because of the fear of
the United States inspired in states
still Independent by American air-tight
control of Nicaragua, the constant
presence Of American marines at Ma
nagua, the capital of Nicaragua, and
Americas dictation in the elections
there.
This fear. returning Americans de-
clare, was further encouraged by pro-
ponents Of the Latin-American league
plan by constant references to the re-
fusal of the United States to abide by
the decision of the Central American
court when it held that the United
States had no right to negotiate the
Nicaraguan treaty, on the ground that
this infringed upon the rights of Costa
Rica with reference to the Nicaraguan
canal route, and of Salvador with ref
erence to the naval base granted the
United States by the treaty Of Fonseca
Bay.
Clever Propaganda Used
The fact that the United States took
a firm stand against the continuance
of the Central American court not
long after this decision is being con-
stantly alluded to, it is declared AL
though the majority of the people in
such states as Guatemala, for instance.
the strongest and most independent of
the Central American states, are said
TO be strongly pro-American, their
fears and apprehensions arc being
played on by advocates of the league
plan with a very clever propaganda,
to accept the American league
plan
Because Guatemala has strongly
centralized government, however, Sen
ators were told, and because the Presi-
dent of that country, Manuel Estrada
Cabrera, believes the welfare not only
Of his country, but of Latin America
generally, is tied up with the United
States, this propaganda, which followed
on the heels OF his fiat refusal to
have anything to do with the proposed
Latin America league, did not succeed
Incidentally. the Senator'S were told,
the people of Guatemala are practically
3 unit behind President Cabrera.
The proponents Of the league re-
sorted to characteristic German propa-
ganda methods, according to accounts
which have reached Senators.
Early in February n general strike
was planned all through Guatemala 1t
was intended to tie up all the rail
roads, the United Fruit Company
and shipping stations, and