The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-11
AN EXTRAORDINARY MESSAGE


Why did President Coolidge yesterday send
long message to Congress concerning the Ncaraguan
United states-Mexcan muddleH The message Itself
does not explain.
What has he and his Secretary of State in mind
to do that requires preparing the congressional
mind? The message plainly was aimed at Mexico,
not at Nicaragua. Does the President contemplate
a course with regard to Mexico even more extraor-
binary than that which has been pursued?
Let's look at the message 1t is ostensibly
merely a justification the Governments be-
havior to date In the Latin-American situation And
it must be assumed that the President offers all the
reasons he has for this behavior Certainly, If he
had any additional or better reasons he would have
presented them.
For, to put it bluntly his Justification is not
sufficient.
Nearly one-half of the message is devoted to
effort to prove that the claim of Daz to the
nresdency of Nicaragua is better than the claim Of
Sacasa 1t is not worth while here to dispute the
Presidents argument Suffice it to say that the
Mexican government. on the same evidence, finds in
favor Of Sacasa- In this, the Mexican government
agrees with Chairman Borah of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee an able lawyer, experienced
in Latin-Amercan controversies and without any pos
sible Interior motive in the matter.
Under the circumstances 1t is the privilege of
the United States Government to accord recogni-
ton to the Diaz government 1t is equally the pryi-
ege of the Mexican government to recognize Sacasa
OF course, this present Senate situation
must eventually be adjusted. It is yet to be shown
that It can not be adjusted by peaceabe means.
At almost equal length the President discusses
our purchased right to build a canal across Ncara-
qua His account of this is doubtleAs correct But
we are not engaged in building canal and it prob
ably will be many years before are. He offers
nothing In this message and nothing has appeared
elsewhere to show that canal rights are menaced
in the least by the Sacasa government There ap-
pears to be anti-canal party in Nicaragua
If any difficulty should arise the canal there
is nothing to show that 1t could not be settled by
peaceable means.
The President deals at less length with protect
Ing American lives and property that may be endan-
gered by warfare between the Daz and the Sacasa
factions. He doesn't reveal that any lives have ac-
tually been in danger that forces of either fac.
ton have been careless concerning American prop
erty lie doesn't answer the desire Of Congress to
know who and what these Americans and interests
are.
Still at less length the President enters into the
matter or reputed shipments of Mexican arms and
ammunition to the Sacasa faction In Nicaragua
This LIS significant since It is the one item in thu
message tnat carries any real to Congress-; the
one thing he tells that hasn't been told before Some
OF the munitions received in Nicaragua, he says
bear evidence Of having belonged to the Mexican
government 1t also appears that the ships were
fitted out with the full knowledge and in some cases
with the encouragement of Mexican officials and
were In one instance commanded by a Mexicar
naval reserve officer
This deserves discussion. It can hardly be ar
gued' OF course that the Mexican government should
oe neid accountable for all gun running between
Mexican and Nicaraguan ports And "reserva
officer" in the microscopic Mexican navy has rather
shadowy official status having in mind that only
lew weeks ago our Secretary of War disavowed
responsibility for the actions of the American ARMY
reserve officers.
However perhaps the President believes or
even knows, that Mexican officials are aiding and
abetting the alleged gun running.
Has it been shown that this can not he adiusted
by peaceable means?
Coulu our State Department ask the Mexican
government whether these Mexican officials were
acting with the governments consent? The Mexi
0" government then would find it necessary either
to repudate these alleged officials or to accent tbo
responsibility for their actions and attempt IN iustf
them In the latter contingency a troublesome sitna
ton might arise-but not one impossible of solution
by peaceable means or. at least not one in which
peaceable means of settlement could NOT be a..
tempted.
IL so happens that President Gales has publicly
uenleu tnat MS government has sanctioned gun run
ming by Mexican officials, but this denial did not re-
suit from any inquiry by Government II was
made on Gales initiative
Inc thing suggested here that our Government
might DO is not unusual 1t is the perfectly normal
process as between two governments that desire r.
escape war The curse of the world fell upon Ger
many in 1914 because her government evaded this
normal process and plunged into war;
Why does our Government attempt to avoid il
now?
Nothing in President Coolidge's message Of yes
terday supplies an answer. There must be an an
swer-and sufficient one-if the American people
are to be asked to support with Mexico