Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-22


wv And what are we fighting
And what-and where--i
the finish?
Such are the questions that people
are asking. This writer has tried Il
pursue the answers TO them for some
time. and he finds that some of thest
answers do not at all agree with hi:
own prior prejudices,
He here sets down the theories of thu
State Department.. the theories of ths
State Departments opponents and The
outstanding facts upon which those
theories are operated.
It is necessary first TO say few words
about SANDING. the Nicirasuan genera
whom our Gen. Lejeune. commaI.dan'
gone 10 Nicaragua 10 repel or to cap.
ture or TO exile or otherwise to dis.
courage.
SANDING enjoys the unusual felicity o.
being engaged in fighting two govern.
menis at the same time-the Govern
ment of Nicaragua and the Govern
ment OF the United States.
He has TO date repreS ented two ele-
mentS One is in the field with him in
Nicaragua's mountainous north. The
other is scattered thinly over much OF
the whole Of Nicaraguan territory.
The first is a set of adventurous, bel
ligerent youths. predatory or patriotic,
or both The second is certain small
ish minority OF one of the two great
Nicaraeuan political parties - namely.
.ha Liberal
IRE Conservative party OF Nicaragua
Is now in office II is the government.
L likes being protected from domestic
violence. II is therefore very much en-
r. geo against SANDING. and 1t earnestly
urged the United States Marine Corps
forward an6 onward in its hunt after
him,
In the meantime it happens that Hon.
6uraS. right next 10 Nicaragua. likewise
has a Conservative government The
Conservatives of Honduras are thor
oughly sympathetic with the Conserva-
tires of Nicaragua. SANDING. most I'M
fortunately for himself. is fighting on
the very edge of the frontier between
Nicaragua and Honduras. If Gen. Le-
jeune pushes him into Honduras, the
Eonduran Conservatives will get him
and viii probably get him harder than
Gen. Leieune would get him.
Honduran Conservatives are just as
unable as Nicaraguan Conservatives u
Sec in SANDING what some lofty writer's
II some distant countries are able 70
SEE in him-a great Latin American
patriot"
II becomes also clear that in fight
ing SANDING We are not fighting Latin
America. The Conservatives Of San
dinos part Of the world. who want Us
10 fight him. are Latin Americans. too
I ct u. turn next TO the Liberal party
in Nicaragua itself.
What are the principles Of the Lib
eral party?
Most Of the greatest leaders of the
Liberal party in Nicaragua live In the
city OF Leon Contrariwise. most OF
the leaders Of the Conservative party
tn Nicaragua live in the city of Ora
NADIA
The struggles between the Liberal
party and the Conservative party In
Nicaragua are largely the equivalent OF
struggles between Leon and Granada
and those struggles between those two
cities involve few principles any more
controversial than the principles Of a
hearty anc hardy foot ball team from
Annapolis as contrasted with the prin-
cipies Of a h-arty and hardy foot ball
team from West Point
This writer not long ago asked a
distinguished Nicaraguan to state the
greatest dividing issue between the LIB
erals and Conservatives Of his country
H debated with himself for some time
and then said that the Liberals In
Nicaragua tend to d.s'ike the private
schools maintained bv Catholic religious
orders. whereas the Conservatives tend
% favor them.
The political slighta IS of that issue
may b. said 10 indicate truly the small
ness Of the political differences between
tiie two Eicarsguan parties The actual
differences between them are not
fundamentally political, but funda-
ns"ntaily geographical and personal
That Is not fault But 1t Is fact.
E1caraguan statesman are not anti
American" or 'pro-American" accord
erai'' and the word Cons .ryative, $
there is nothing in the philosophy Of
either party. taking IL one gay or the
other. IN the matter of patriotism
versus foreign intervention Mica
raglan statesmen are "pro-American'
on -and-Americsn." according 10 thei,
personal convictions or according IL
their personal needs. In fighting San.
dino. who lis a Liberal, We are no.
fighting the Liberal party in Nicaragua
and the Liberal party IN Nicaragua
as party. is Tot fighting US
The present accented leader OF thf
Liberal party In Nicaragua Is Mon
ca6a. He has been in Eicaraguan poi.
the revolution against Zelaya, prom
tnentiy. In 1909 He hes been active
fn Eicarsgl2n public life ever since
He is perhaps not really 50 distinguished
as his fellow Liberals. EsDinosa End
Efeuello and Lara and SacaEA. bti;
he Is ambitious fnc persistent. and ne
now lloidS-~beYonc coubt--the Liberal
perry leadership
What is his s!eg u SANDING?
Extremely hostile He Joins with his
Conservative antagonist~~the Pres.den,
Of kicara2ua-D.az~jn hoping tina,
Gen Lejepne Wi! canh up with San
dino speedily
His reasons are compelling He III in
al probability goif,g " he the candidate
Of the Liberal parry for President In the
RicaFaguan elections next Fail. Tbs
candidate ~ the Conservative party f0i
President Ii 3keiy " be Cuadra pasJs
or Eensrc The Conservative eanci.
date VIII have the earnest support o!
the pseSEnt Conservative administra.
ton. MW4cAos thinks that the Con.
seYyatige candidate will inevitably b.
elected II the Conservative a6ministra
ton runs The elections. M0ncads
therefore io0kE about for some othfl
body q! men 10 run ti0s elections IL
ordeT that they may be free and fair
end IN order fss nf INNS At ~ ths
tfaf Liberal cancica1e~-nsmeiy. ninlsej
may have d chance III tnem
And what bDoy u men dDes he sug
geet for that delicate TASK
Answer. Devil Dogs. Ieathernecks.
To this END he signed not long ag'
the So-cslled "EtlnSOn Agreement
contemplating the holding III the nex
N,eagagIan presidential elections IN
der United States Marine Corps super
VISION.
NslCARAGLAk statesmen. DeCauB
~ Of Nicaragua political conditions