Evening star., 1926-01-23

While the United States Senate Is
ensrossed in debate as to whether this
Nation should adhere to an lnterna- :
! tional court, with headquarters anu
nainsprings of influence in Europe,
another international court OF justice
with its seat in America Is called upon
TO decide the fate of a nation ana the
recognition of a coup detat govern
ment.
The seat of the court is in Honduras
and the nation at stake IS Nicaragua,
which has been under the special pro
lection Of the United States since 1909,
he request of its Presidents. Its vice
president is an exile, seeking haven IN
Washington. under threat of imprison'
ment or death by the alleged usurplnS
power which has suspended the presl-
dent, seized the armed forces ana re
moved" the opposition majority OF
Congress.
Early in his administration Presi-
dent Wilson said, in speech at Mo
bile. that II would be the policy of this
Government to refuse recognition OF
auy American government which had
gained power by force or by any
means contrary to the constitution OF
the nation.
! The same policy Of Encouragement
of Latin American revolutionaries has
been maintained through the Harding
and Coolidge administrations. BY a
general treaty Of peace and amity
signed in Washington February 4,
1923, the same policy became the basis
of agreement between Guatemala, San
Salvador, Honduras. Nicaragua and
Costa RiCa. The treaty was not sign
| ed by the United States, but this Coun-
| try indorses its principles and ad-
heres to its obligations to recognize
| the constitutional governments OF each
country against all uSurpationS.
BY the terms of that treaty there
! followed as of the same date, the or
gar zation of the international Tri-
| bunal, with jurisdiction over all ques-
tionS between the adhcring nations.
aside from questions or controversies
| which affect the sovereign and indie
pendent existence of any of the sig
natory republics" 1t becomes, there
fore. question as to whether the
present alleged usurpation of all pow
er in Nicaragua, by a Nicaraguan not
elected by the people, is q matter for
the International Tribunal, or one for
each nation to decide in regular course
Of diplomacy.
The special interests of the United
States in Nicaragua date back to 1909
when a revolution was led by Adolfo
Diaz, a native of Nicaragua. who had
been a bookkeeper for n Pittsburgh
mining company operating in that
country. and was said to be earning
about 81 900 a year salary.
The revolution was aimed at the
overthrow of President Zelaya. 1t was
not prospecting and would have fallen
but for the aid given it by our De
partment of State. under Secretary
Knox, who declared against Zelaya
because of the execution of two young
American soldiers enlisted in the anti
Zelayan army, who were caught in
an attempt to dynamite a vessel load
ed with Zelayan soldiers.
X = :. x
Upon the entry of the United states
| into the situation, President Zelaya
resigned and fled, whereupon DIR. Jose
| Madriz was elected by the Nicaragua
Congress as President. Madriz took
| possession of all the country except
| Bluetields, which was held by the
| Conservative forces - -revolutioniStS-
| under Gen. Chomorro, the present al
legged usurper. A force of American
marines was landed to avert fighting
| in Bluefields, and prevent Madriz from
entering that city.
Then arrived Thomas c. Dawson.
| agent of the United States Govern
| ment, who called a conference of the
| leaders of the Conservative party on
board an American naval vessel.
There was formulated the Dawson
! pact"-a compromise by which ES-
| trada was named President, Diaz,
| vice president, and a new constitution
was written-which the Congress re
| fused to adopt. President Estrada
soon dissolved the Congress and be
| came dictator, but he took his policies
| from the American Minister. who
| eventually broke with him and order
ed that he give way for Vice President
Adolfo Diaz to become President. 1t
is alleged-at least by the opposition
| that there was no pretense of legal
| ity in this revolution of ''paciflca-
| tion," but, after two slight battles.
the erstwhile bookkeeper of the Pitts
burgh Mining Co. became President of
| the republic.
| y
| President paz served from 1913 to
'191s, and y succeeded by Gen.