Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-02
NICARACUAN SITUATION
HAS TURBULENT PAST
Washington Government Has Difficult
y Course to Intervention
Occurred Under Taft

| -Diaz became President of Nicaragua
after Estrada. Gen. Mena was
the minister of war and later he
caused the Assembly to elect him
| January /, 1913 This was strongly
opposed by the United States Minister
| and the Conservatives. DiaZ removed
Mena from office, precipitating an
other attempt at revolution. In this
revolution American forces were used
to storm Barranca fort. Seven Amer
| lean marines and bluejackets were
killed.
The American marines then became
a fixture In Nicaragua for 10 years
The guard was only 100 in number
but it was representative of the en-
tire power of the United States, and
effective. There was peace. The
country prospered. The Nicaraguans
eventually paid the American loans
in 1924.
A year earlier a second conference
of Central American powers was held
in Washington for the purpose of In
surfing mutual confidence between
their governments. Charles Evans
Hughes. then Secretary of State, took
a keen interest in the conference. and
then a treaty was signed which
pledged the Central American repub-
that came into power from a coup
detat or revolution which ALTERS the
constitutional organization" of the re-
public in question. In this case recog-
milton is to be withheld until the new
government is reorganized in conStl-
tutional form by the representatives
of the people, freely elected. The
United States Government, while not
a signatory to the treaty, has under
taken to follow this principle of
recognition.
Merger Move Failed.
The election of 1924 for President
and Vice President of Nicaragua re-
suited in the choice of Don Carlos
SolorZano, a Conservative, for Presi-
dent and DIR. Juan Bautista Sacasa.
Liberal, for Vice President. This at
tempt to unite the two political parties
in one administration did not meet
with success. Bickering, move and
counter-move for control followed
instructions In barracks we're TO-
mented by leaders in one or the other
party. President Solorzano was APP
parently unable to cope with the stu
alton. In October. 1925, he resigned,
alleging broken health and the failure
of the policy of his administration.
been expected to enter the Nicaraguan
White House in these circumstances,
but charges were made against him
that he had conspired before Presi-
dent Solorzano resigned to seize the
government and had entered into trea-
sonable deals with certain Central
American governments. The Congress
of Nicaragua declared the Vice Presi
dent liable to prosecution and he was
disqualified, 1t is said, from assuming
the presidency.
Chamorro Is Elected.
The Conservatives declare that with
President Solorzano resigned and the
Vice President disqualified, the execu-
tive power passed to the Congress.
That body proceeded to select Senator
Emiliano Chamorro to head the gov
eminent. The United States. how
ever, feeling that 1t was incumbent
upon it to live up to the spirit and
the letter of the treaty signed in
Washington by the Central American
nations three years ago, declined to
recognize Chamorro as the de jure
executive of Nicaragua.
Later, however, Gen. Diaz was Sc
lected through means held to be con-
stitutional to head the government Of
the republic and the United States
formally recognized him.
Charges have been made that Mex
leo or Mexicans have been instru.
mental in fomenting the Sacasa revo.
luton: that the whole movement in
Nicaragua is bolshevik in character;
that Mexico has sought to displace
the United States in influence in the
central American republic. These
charges have been denied in Mexico
and here by representatives of the
Sacasa revolution, but thew continue
to crop up. Mexico's new land laws
affecting oil properties and others
owned or leased by Americans. are
threatening serious discord between
the United States and that country. If
Mexican influence becomes domino mt
In Nicaragua. similar la nd laws might
be adopted in the Central American
republic. Counter charges are made
that American financial interests are
at the bottom of the present Inter
vention" Of the United States naval
forces in Mexico The State Depart.
ment denies this emphatically and
declares that the naval forces wer..
asked by American citizens in Mica
ragua for the purpose Of protecting
lives and property when it appeared
they were in jeopardy
Has Big Lakes.
Nicaragua compares in area to
, England, but its population Is only
ABOUT 100000. 1t contains the largest
| fresh water lake south of the Great
Lakes and north of Lake Titacaca in
South America - Lake Nicaragua
which is 80 miles long-and a second
AXE, Lake Managua, 80 miles long.
1t was in connection with Nicaragua
and Central American affairs that
the late Secretary Knox coined
the phrase dollar diplomacy" The
friendly American dollar was to aid
Latin American countries, to stabilize
economic and financial conditions and
TO bring about development. But In
| some quarters this policy was looked
| upon with suspicion.
Inc United States was yisualized
as reaching out to dominate, If not
| 10 take actual possession, of Amer.
can nations to the south. 1t was in
l9ll-l2 that loan plans under the aid
/ of the United States were taken nm
| IN the Central American countries hut
| .ney were rejected by all except
nicaragua. Originally the loan 10
Nicaragua by American interests wa g
10 ne $Io 100000, supported by treaty
Whlch the State Department sought
10 nave approved. But the treaty
ala not go through here, and the loa ms
| OF the American bankers were eur.
talied to the figures already given.
In 1920 a revision of the plan was
! proposed by which the American loa n
was to be $4,000 900, which was to he
| expended largely to finance the con.
otructon or railway across the
| country from the Atlantic IN The
| Pacific
| The treaty negotiated between tho
United states and Nicaragua. under
| which the United States is to have q
| perpetual option on the intarocea nc