Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-09
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

N 70 secret is made in Latir
N American quarters AT Wash
VI ington that the United States
4 present procedure in Central
and South America is subject
ing our prestige in the Western Hemi
sphere to a severe strain. There is nc
open hostility among the various sister
republics of the Americas not rectiy
interested in the Nicarag guam, Mexican
and Tacna African crises. But the
Coolidge administration s conduct OF
those embittered affairs is being gen
orally and frankly criticized. Men IN
Washington intimately associated WIZ
Latin American relations, and cordial
ly in sympathy with the United States
policy of keeping them friendly and
pacifc, are gravely concerned over
the trend of events. These are not
taking a course, in the judgment OF
those authorities, which is designed 10
heighten our prestige in "Pan-Amer'
lea" or make the big brother of the
North" any more popular with his
sisters to the South.
Mexican developments, with their
continuing possibility of an armed
clash, are being watched with par
ticular interest throughout Latin
America. The United States special
But many Central and South Amer
lean countries for a long time nave
had such oil and land laws as those
the Mexican government is on the
verge of enforcing. Therefore Presi'
dent Gales attitude toward American
diplomatic demands is not considered
unreasonable in certain Latin Amer
lean capitals.
Subject of Arbitration.
There is an even more important
objection in those capitals to the
drastic" attitude assumed by the
United States toward Mexico. Latin
Americans, broadly speaking, consider
the dispute between the United States
and Mexico as an essentially jus
ticiable" question. Laws are involved
1t Is argued and AmericanMeXi
differences range around the inter
probation of those laws. That strikes
many Latin American statesmen as a
controversy logically and ideally sub
feet to arbitral settlement.
That view Of our squabble with
Mexico also embraces Latin America g
disapproval of the United States con.
sistent refusal to enter into general
and obligatory arbitration treaties
with foreign nations. Once, Latin
Americans point out, TINS country leo
the world in the realm of interna-
tional arbitration. Now we adhere
tenaciously to the policy of insisting
upon separate convention of arbi-
tration for. each arising case. More
over, the United States Senate is so
addicted to the program of "reserva-
tons that the other American repub-
lies do not consider our arbitration
policy as much more than a one
sided policy calculated in advance to
assure us the maximum of advantages
whenever we consent TO submit dis
pute to justiciable adjustment. Latin
America is deeply welded to the
arbitral system. 1t thinks our present
differences with Mexico should be
handled under that system.
"Cloak" for America.
AS to Nicaragua, Latin America
does not seem disposed TO take seri-
ously our contention that American
warships and Marines are in that
country merely for protection of en-
dangered foreign lives and property.
Especially the dispatch of Marines to
Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, as
legation guards for the United States.
and to a certain extent in behalf of