The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-02-03
NEWS review OF !.
CURRENT EVENTS
Schemes Against U. S. Lead
ership Are Likely to
Fail in Havana.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD

BY EDWARD W.. PlcKARD
r ATIN-AA1ERICAN statesmen who
planned to undermine the leader
ship of the United States on the
Western hemisphere during the Pan
American conference in Havana are
not likely to accomplish much in that
way, and may even abandon the at
tempt for the present. Their cause
was greatly weakened by President
Coolidge's visit to Hanava and his
diplomatic though firm address, and
by the strength of the United States
delegation headed by Charles Evans
Hughes. During their two days in
Cuba Mr.. and Mrs. Coolidge quite won
the hearts of the people of that repub-
lie and the Presidents speech at the
formal opening of the conference was
admittedly effective in bringing closer
together the United States and the
smaller republics of the New world.
The address was broadcast through
out this country by radio. .+.----.'tr'
Mr.. Hughes and the other American
delegates were discreet and tactful
when the conference was organized
for work on Wednesday, but 1t was
evident they were watching every
move and that they were ready to
head Off any action condemnatory of
the policies Of the United States and
to justify our governments course in
Nicaragua and elsewhere If the neces-
sity arose. Mr.: Hughes made one
mcss 6z1h seemed significant. AT
his suggestion DIR. Antonio de Busta-
mente of Cuba, president of the con.
ference, was made an ex-officio mem
Der of all committees. He is in full
sympathy with American policies in
the Caribbean and agrees with Mr..
Hughes on questions of international
law that will come under discussion.
In Italy the Coolidge address and
the firm attitude Of the American
delegates aroused much bitter COM
ment in the newspapers, for Musso-
lini has been planning union of all
Latin countries to be headed by Italy
and the failure of this scheme Is seen
II the United States maintains and ex,
tends its hegemcny on the Western
continent.
President Coolidge and his party re-
turned to Washington Thursday after
a swift rail trip from Key West that
was broken only by stop of an hour
In Jacksonville Fla.
N OWN in Nicaragua the marines
- under direct command of Gen.
eral Lejeune seemed to be making
marked progress in the dispersal of
the SANDING band of rebels. On
Wednesday there were reports in
Managua, unconfirmed but credible
that SANDING himself had been killed
or seriously wounded during the
bombing operations of the marine avi-
ators under Maj r. T. Rowell, who
attacked El Chipote. the mountain
stronghold of the rebels. Aviators
who flew over San Rafael Tuesday
saw what was evidently a large fu-
neral procession. Next day the ma
rine air patrols reported that Ell Chi
pote had been abandoned.
TWO days OF speechmaklng was
4 needed before the senate got
around to declaring vacant the seat
of Senator-elect Frank L. Smith of
Illinois. The outcome was never In
doubt, but various senator's wanted to
be heard, some in favor of the Reed
committees resolution and others in
opposition. The language Of the res
olution as reported was changed so
that the measure read that Smiths
credentials were tainted with fraud
and corruption and that as q conse-
Quence he was not entitled to mem
bership In the senate and that a va.
cancy exists in the Illinois representa-
tien. The statement eliminated by the
alteration was that Smith was not en-
titled to the oath of office because of
the nature of the contributions to his
campaign fund.
G ENATOR HEFLIN of Alabama is
- convinced that the Roman Catho-
lie church Is determined to destroy
him because Of his attacks on the