The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-03-20
BY MAX STERN
STAFF Correspondent. Scripps- Howard
Newspapers.

STAFF Correspondent, Scripps-Howard
Newspapers.
MANAGUA. March 20. - Geo.
graphically, Nicaragua is divided
into its western highlands and its
eastern lowlands, virtually two
countries. Politically, it is divided
into two hostile camps, Liberals
and Conservatives. Socially it is
divided into its classes and its
masses.
If Central America could be called
Americas Balkans, then Nicaragua
is its Serbia. 1t stands today as a
living example of what greed and
war can do to a country and its
people.
In size it equals New York. 1t is
the largest Central American re-
public, and it is probably the rich
est. 1t abonds in hardwoodS, gold
and silver, some rubber and possibly
oil.
Its soil is unbelievably rich, and
with an annual rainfall of $50 inches
in the east and fifty inches in the
west, it can raise two crops a year.
Thousands Of acres, fitted to raise
coffee, bananas. sugar and tropical
fruits are still UNEMPLOYED
Contains Great Lakes
1t contains two great lakes, one
of them. Lake Nicaragua, being the
largest between Superior and Tit
caca in South America, and a canal
route that some day will make the
republic world highway. Yet it
supports only $4,000 people and the
mass Of these live under conditions
little above those OF oxen.
Aside from ITO miles of poor rail-
road, 200 miles of worse highway
dim electric lights and whatever
other improvements European and
American planters and traders have
brought in, Nicaragua, in most
respects, has not changed in 300
years.
The other day I visited a modern
coffee plantation. or fnca Il hap
pened to belong to President Diaz.
who spends his bachelor week ends
in its cool shades. I asked to be
shown the living quarters of the mi
gratory coffee workers, then pick
ing the last of the coffee crop.
was shown into a dark unven-
tilated room in which was a system
of wooden shelves six by SIX and
| three feet high. I though I was be-
ing shown a rabbit warren Until I
was told that these shelves were the
sleeping quarters Of the workers.
Big Profit in Coffee
There's big money in coffee. The
planters - Nicaraguaa. American,
English, German and french gentry
receive from $40 to $50 a sack. 1t
costs them SO or $50 TO produce it.
They could we'll afford good wages
and housing for the workers. The
wage is so to 80 cents a day, and
board. The hours during the coffee
season are from daylight to dark,
with an hour for siesta.
Education belongs 20 the upper
classes. and yet in Nicaragua there
are 10 more than 300 college
students. The masses are 70 per
cent illiterate.
School teachers get $40 a month,
cabinet ministers $500 month. and
your shine will cost you two cents.
The upper classes send their young
men to Europe and their girls to
finishing schools here; their males
oversee their plantations and make
war for the spoils of government.
Their women roll elegantly
through Granada streets in their
open carriages and are made love
to under the tropical moon.
Middle Glass Is Hope
The hope of Nicaragua lies in a
middle class too small to rule, but
emerging gradually. Here IS real
culture. Its men read newspapers,
goo dbooSs and poetry, its daughters
play beautifully on the piano, in
dulge in the new passion Of these
countries, the movies, and entertain
their friends on warm evenings in
stone tagged parlors fronting the
sidewalk.
1t is upon this soil of the middle
class that seeds Of peace and democ-
racy are being SoWn. t. will be sur
prising if there aren't many crop
failures in the future, as there have
been in the past. The Nicaraguans
have been "plundered, profaned
and disinherited" largely by their
own people
In desperation they are taking
Americas helping hand. No more
rank betrayal could he recorded if
instead of help we brought them
new forms of exOIOitatioO and new