Evening star., 1926-09-18
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL =. COLLINS.

1t has long been the fashion to
make light Of Latin American wars.
as of the opera bouffe sort. An
American filibuster named Walker
once invaded Nicaragua and with
few gestures made himself ruler, die
tator and grand poohbah of the coun-
try. Later. he was captured and shot
but that's another story. His was
as great feat of bluff as was that
of Cortez when he and 800 followers
ca ptured the Montezuma Empire Of
Is 900 900. 1t remains. however, for
the Nicaraguans themselves to cap
the climax of absurdity-if any war
can be so lightly treated-when they
tight around FL Bluff, and-but here
is pa agraph from yesterdays AS
sociated Press story about the Big
Bluff. 1t is condensed into Anglo
Saxon with Latin circumlocution des-
icca ted out of it, for consideration OF
space: Gen. Jose Marie Moncade.
leader of the revolution in eastern
Nicaragua the Liberal party), has
been bombarding the Bluff. on which
Gen. Gustave Arguello. Conservative,
is intrenched Gen. Moncade sends
his compliments to Gen. Arguello and
politely invites him to surrender.
Gen. Arguello. not to be outdone in
courtesy, replies gently suggesting
that Gen. Moncade cease firing.
Gen. Moncade explains that his
courteous offer to accept the surrender
of his opponents is due to the alleged
triumphs of the Conservatives else
where. and Gen. Arguello proposes
that they each verify the stories of
each other and "if the revolutionistS
have conquered on the Pacific Coast,
I will surrender Ell Bluff. and If the
revolutionists have not been victorious
on the Pacific Coast, you will sur
render" 1t sounds almost like betting
which one is FL Bluff-the Conserva-
4 tive or the Liberal general. After
YOU, A1phonse"'
The chief point of interest to the
United States-and to all America
is that there is prospect of immedi-
Intervention in force by any othet
country. And peace is always such
a novelty in that country that it is
as great bit of genuine news as If
"a man bit dog" instead of the dog
biting the man.
So the United States charge daft
faires, Mr.. Lawrence Dennis. at Ma
nagua, Is acting as peacemaker. using
the good Offices of the American
Government to develop peace as the
end of a one-month civil war. But
that peace apparently will leave, as
President Gen. Emiliano Chamorro.
who, in 1928, achieved the chief mag
istracy by a coup d'etat, overturning
both the Liberal president and vice
president. through military usurpa-
ton, and he therefore cannot be
recognized by the United States. nor
~ nfi-
can Republics. Peace with the
usurper In power. arranged. by
government which refuses to rec
ognize him, is a strange situation.
Stranger, indeed than that which the
prophet Of biblical times described
as Peace, peace. when there is no
peace" We exercise no protectorate.
and the Monroe Doctrine does not
apply.
1t is an auspicious circumstance,
perha ps. that the mutual Willingness
to surrender came on the very day
when new book concerning Mic
aragua and the other four states of
Central America appeared on sale in
the United States. 1t is called Rain
bow Countries Of Central America"
written by a Washington author and
journalist, Mr.. Wallace Thompson
Nicarag qua Is one of the rainbow
ends where lay the pot Of gold in
former days. where. according to
conditions described in the book, may
still lie barrels of treasure. when
rightly found But prosperity de-
pends on peace. and peace depends
on prosperous and enlightened
people.
The author has travelled much In
Central America and studied fte