Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-11-11
RY CASTOR NERVAL,
Authority on Latin American Affairs

VA Wiz ANANoA 6deAl OlNNNAOAiOy tAN
Il long-drawn political disturb
ances of Nicaragua have beef
settled, if not permanently, at least
temporarily, by the election of a new
President. Thoroughly supervised By
high officials of Uncle Sam, the citi-
Gems of the small Central American
republic have answered the call by
casting a greater number of ballots
than has been the case in all previous
elections Nicaragua today enjoys a
constitutional President elected by the
free will of the people.
Thus has come to conclusion one
or the great present-day international
controversies that has so occupied the
minds of political men throughout the
continent and which has been known
as intervention of the United States
in Nicaragua"
When the Washington Government
through its representative, Gen. Slim
son, succeeded in having the leaders of
the war factions in Nicaragua agree
to a cessation of hoStilitieS and to carry
out free elections under the Supervi-
sion of the United States, they were
all at a loss as to whether the repre-
SentativeS of the White House could
bring their laborS to a satisfactory end
ing without compromising the foreign
political prestige of the United States.
What Has Been Accomplished?
To what extent have they accom-
pliShed this mission? Practically speak
ing, the material results could not have
been more promising. However, it must
be admitted also that the North Ameri-
can attitude, in its moral sense, has
given rise to iii feelings in Latin Amer
lea, where the Intervention in Nicara-
qua has been interpreted to be indica-
tive of that political hegemony which
is attributed to this country.
With the supervision of the Nicara-
guam elections just completed, the
United States has for the tenth time
interfered in the political affairs in
Latin America. These interventionS by
the United States in some cases were
effected upon the request of the inter-
eSted parties and in others to preserve
peace and settle controversies in ac-
cordance with existing treaties. The
republic of Cuba has twice received the
assistance of the United States in car
rying out electoral campaigns. In the
years 1908 and 1920 the Cuban cleo,
tons were supervised by the United
States. In 1908 new electoral law
in Cuba was put into effect, which
created a supervisory council under
Gen. Crowder. This council had power
to wholly revise the manner of voting;
to issue degrees and appropriate money
for the electoral expenditures. In 1920
the United States, with the consent of
the Havana government and the leaders
of the opposing political party, desig-
mated five representatives to closely OBJ
serve the presidential elections.
Supervision in Panama.
In 1912 the political parties which
were disputing on the presidency of
Panama requested and obtained super
vision of the United States. American
representatives were designated to
supervise said elections in 81 electoral
districts. Later on the government
party withdrew its candidacy and re-
Trained from voting. In 1918 the
United States was intruSted with the
duty of maintaining peace and order
in the cities of Panama and Colon
during the period of elections. In that
same year once more the two political
parties requested American supervision
of the congressional elections.
In 1916 the presidential elections OF
Haiti were supervised by the Marine
forces of the United States and Senior
Dartiguenave was elected president The
Marines were in charge of maintaining
order in the country and of revising
the electoral procedure. In 1920 this
was again done, although this time the
x1dAlAdL4 OO1AOVdbuAdIyy AAASASA 1NAeSA AAAO
officers, were the ones to supervise and
maintain order during the period of
election.
In 1918 the elections for the national
assembly of Santo Domingo were super
vised by North American commission.
In 1914 the presidential elections were
supervised by civil and military repre-
sentatives. In November, 1916, the
United States interviewed in the affairs
Of the Dominican Republic to re-estab-
fish order. The republic was then
occupied by military forces and no cleo
tons were held until 1924. No direct
supervision was made of the 1924 cleo
tons, although there still remained a
few of Uncle Sans forces and they
were observed very closely by United
States representative.
In 1920 the Nicaraguan Government
requested from the United States the
assistance of an expert in the revision
of its electoral laws. Harold w. DoddS
was designated to go to Nicaragua,
where he compiled new electoral law,
which was approved by the Congress
OF Nicaragua in 1923. Four United
States Marines, dressed in civilian
clothes, aided Mr.. Dodds in the regis
tration of the electoral voters. The
last electoral supervision of Nicaragua
has been conducted by Gen. Mccoy
as result of the armed intervention
which followed the civil war between
the Liberal and Conservative parties
in Nicaragua. This civil war was
ended when the political leaders of both
parties agreed to cease hoStilities and
remain under the protection of Uncle
Sans flag, provided the United States
would promise to insure free and i'm
partial elections in the republic. Five
Presidents in all have ordered those
interventions.
misunderstanding Arises.
The real danger of these Interventions
in Central America is that they have
given rise to general misunderstanding
which today hinders the economic and
political relations of the Americas. For
it Is to them that it is due that preva-
lent fear of Yankee Imperialism" by
the countries south of the Rio Grande.
The enemies of Uncle Sam have spread
the belief in those countries that the
real aim of the United States policies
of Intervention is pecuniary one
There are many in South America who
see in each step taken by the Washing
ton Government respecting its foreign
policies a new pretext for the protec-
ton of financial interests.
This phantom" of the political i'm
perialism of the United States that has
supposedly grown out from the eco
nomic hegemony which at the present
time exercises in Latin America, is the
natural cause of the wrong interpreta-
ton to which the foreign undertaking.
of the North American Government are
subjected in Latin America. So long al
the Latin Americans continue to be-
lieve that the Government leaders II
Washington are backing the dealings
of Wall Street bankers. nothing fur
Their can be done to hasten the solution
of this vital problem.
To do away forever with that erro