Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-26
LANDING is CONFIRMED.
American Marines and Sailors Con-
troll Neutral Zone.
BY the Associated Press. n

BY the Associated Press. n
The State Department announced
last night that American Marines and
sailors had been landed without in
cident'' Thursday at Puerto Csbezas,
Nicaragua, to protect American and
foreign lives and property.
A neutral zone, Comprising the
territory lying within rife range of
the American and foreign properties" +"
has been established.
The landing was made, the an
nouncement said, in answer to appeals
for protection received from American
citizens with interests in the Puerto
CabeZas area. .
No details, of the landing operation.
which was composed of forces from
the cruisers Denver and Cleveland.
were contained in the naval radio
message received yesterday from
Rear Admiral Julian Latinaer, com
manding the special service squadron
and in personal command of the sit
uation in Nicaraguan waters.
"Ultimatum" Not Mentioned.
The State Department announce.
nouncement made no reference to
the report made public heresby DIR.
T. S. vaca, representative Of the
Sacasa Liberals, that Sacasa ard his
cabinet" had been ordered by Ad
miral Latimer to evacuate Puerto
Cabezas by 4 pm. yesterday.
Vaca issued statement yesterday
charging that the landing at Puerto
CabeZas, which has been headquarters
on the East Coast of the Sacasa fac
tion, amounted to armed intervention
by the United States in the internal
affairs of Nicaragua. He added that
the steps had been taken during the
holidays recess Of the American Con.
gress because the Washington admin.
istration desired to avoid congress
sional Intervention of its activities in
Nicaragua.
State Department officials would
make no comment on Vaca's charges.
They called attention, however, to the
departmental announcement, which
said that the landing had been made
In response to specific requests from
American citizens for projection.
It is understood that such requests
have been received from virtually all
American interests in the Puerto Ca.
bezas district.
The State Department announce
ment, issued last night, follows:
"A telegram has been received via
the Navy from Admiral Latimer on
the Rochester stating that at noon on
the 23d a force of sailors and Marines
from the Denver and Cleveland landed
at Puerto Cabezas and established g
neutral zone there for the purpose OF
protecting American and foreign lives
and property.
Landing Follows Appeals.
THE landing was without incident
The neutral zone comprises the terri
tory lying within rife range of Amer
ican and foreign properties.
Appeals for protection have beer
received from American citizens hav
ing interests in that district and Ad
miral Latimer has been instructed Il
afford such protection as the occasion
might demand"
So far as could be ascertained las
night the Washington Government
has no official information as to the
imminence of a conflict between the
groups of the two Nicaraguan politica
factions which caused Admiral Lat
inner to land a guard at Rio Grandt
Bar, south of Puerto Cabezas, ant
later to land larger force and estab
lish a neutral zone at the libera
stronghold itself.
It is assumed in official circles tha
the headquarters of the Sacasa fac
ton at Puerto Cabezas must have beel
either on American owned property o.
within rifle range of American or for
eign-owned holdings. Probably, II wa.
said, the charge that Admiral Latime
had ordered Sacasa and his adherent
to evacuate the town arose out of tn
establishment of the neutral zone.
There appeared to be little doub
that the admiral would have ordere,
any armed group he found within tn
zone he deemed necessary to protec
non rombatant foreign lives and for
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