The New York herald., 1921-02-20
Low Prices of Fruit and
High Costs of Living
Create a Crisis.
EVERYBODY PINCHED'
Strike Led by Plantation
Owner Almost Results in
New Revolution.
Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c., Feb. 10.


Uneasy are the heads of a nation
whose chair Of state rests on banana
peel.
Down in Honduras the only thing
that kept the chair Of state from skid
ding off for fall was the timely ar
rival of the U. S. S. Sacramento few
months back
Now another disturbance is pre-
dicted
Stark, red revolution was rearing
its head in the banana province OF
Atlantida, all unknown to the great
American public.
The high cost of living, with low
wages on the plantations. and the low
price of bananas were at the bottom
of the trouble.
It was the old story of an agricul-
tural community going in for profit
able business and neglecting to raise
its own food. Then, when the profits
fell through outside causes and big
business control, the small planter, the
merchant and the laborer all felt the
pinch.
The present Government of Hon
duras has lost the sympathy OF prac-
tically all classes in the Atlantida
province and the city of Ceiba.
Col. Ramon Lagos was appointed
Governor of Atlantida, supposedly to in
gratiate himself with the disaffected
voters and to win their support for cleo
tion to the Presidency. This would con-
tinue the present party In power.
At any rate, Gov. Lagos failed to pre-
vent overt acts when a general planta-
ton strike broke out. 1t appeared obvi-
Gus that neither he nor his superiors
would use Iepressive measures unless
there was destruction of private prop
erty.
The strikers were ably led and ad-
vised. They contented themselves with
carrying away what they wanted, but
were careful not to destroy property.
In its inception the strike was unique
in that il was led by q small plantation
owner, Jacoba =. Munguia. He exerted
complete control over the dissatisfied
workers, but the situation was beginning
to get out of hand when the United
States warship arrived.
It's presence stiffened the backbone
of the Honduran Government and the
arrest of several strike leaders followed.
with the collapse of the impending revo-
luton which was being more or less
openly dQNOIalCR.
The strikers began by contending Tor
an increased wage from s1.25 day to
$3.50 a day. the working day being eight
hours.
The direct result OF the strike was an
increase from s1.25 to s1.75 q day, with
double time for overtime.
There was nothing Bolshevistio about
the Honduran disturbance.
Even the present Government has long
realized that living conditions, especially
in Atlantida. were becoming increasingly
difficult
During the political campaign IN 1919
candidates now in office were before the
voters promising II elected to give the
aid OF the Government to the underpaid
plantation laborers.
This Is one OF the reasons the Gov
ernment hesitated to act during the late
outbreak. Early repressiye measures
undoubtedly would have changed the
strike into a revolution in very short
order.
At any rate, the disaffection was part
ly allayed, for the time at least
The chair of state still maintains Its
precarious resting place on the banana
slin
But Col Ramon Lagos, Governor OF
Atlantida, has lost his Job.