The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-27
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
81 LUDWELL DENIM

VI G44C OUllSA 4AC 10 CduSlIlB bllC
United States Government a lot of
trouble.
Today the Manngua dispatches
report an engagement between his
troops and bodyguard and a squad
ron of Yankee Marine planes, in
which the Americans bombed the
Nicaraguans.
That would not be unusual news
except that Secretary of the Navy
Wilbur just has reported to Presi-
dent Coolidge and to the country
that SANDING is practically done
for, that he is trying to escape from
Nicaragua to Honduras and proba-
bly, already has succeeded. Wilbur's
optimistic information was based on
an official report from the Marines.
The now established fact that
SANDING is alive and still kicking
against American occupation in
Nicaragua reveals the great diff
culties under which the Marines are
operating in their unsuccessful eff
forts Of fourteen months to bag the
rebel leader.
Thanks to the character Of the
mountainous jungle, the loyalty Of
the natives in the northern district
to the rebels, and the skill of San
dino, the Marines in all sincerity
are unable to keep definite tab on
Sandino's strength, his whereabouts,
or even the extent of his losses in
battles with the Marines.
Now that the long rainy season
is on, it is almost impossible to
carry on the type of military oper-
ations which might result in San
dino's defeat in the field. The Ma
rines are reduced to air raids, which
alone cannot accomplish the Ameri-
can purpose of ending the BAN
ditry."
Therefore it is believed that II
SANDING gives up or runs out of the
country before the fall elections, it
will be because of his general dis
couragement rather than because Of
any immediate military necessity.
A S to Sandinos military strength
L Z there continues to be much
disagreement. At the beginning of
the revolt, Colonel Stimson, the
Presidents special commissioner
there and the present Governor
General of the Philippines, reported
that Sandino's forces numbered
only three or four hundred. But
soon the marines had captured and
killed more than that number, and
he still had over 1000 men in the
field.
There has been the same con-
flicting reports about the extent Of
his arms. But in a pinch ne has
never seemed to lack either men
or munitions.
The United States Government
is somewhat encouraged by the
surrender" of several bands Of
rebels during the last month which
total about 600. But there are two
reasons why this does not evoke
more enthusiasm.
First, many Of these may be
professional bandits looking for
safety rather than Sandinistas as
they claim. Secondly, they did not
in most cases surrender their
arms, they came in unarmed.
This raises the suspicion that the
rebels are storing their arms in safe
places and going into the towns for
food and comfort during the rainy
season, preparatory to joining
SANDING again when military oper-
ations are possible.
To meet this emergency, and any
other which may be created by the
native campaign and election, the
United States has increased its
force to nearly 5000 marines.
The cost Of keeping these marines
in Nicaragua is estimated at about
100000 month, in addition to the
expense for naval vessels in con-
slant use in connection with the
occupation.
Il
DESPITE these military opera
IL tions, the State Department
maintains that this Government is
not in state of actual war with the
Nicaraguan revolutionists, and that
therefore the Administration is not
guilty as charged by a minority
group in Congress of unconstitu-
tionally fighting a war without the
consent of Congress.
The State Department insists that
both major groups in Nicaragua,
the Conservatives and Liberals, &C
cepted the Stimson "pacif1cation"
terms of May, 1927, and that Sam
dino by failing to join in that
agreement became an outlaw.
Under the Stimson terms, Amer
lean Marines are to guarantee a fair
election of a successor to President
Diaz. Diaz, formerly a bookkeeper
of an American firm, who was raised
to the presidency during the first
American intervention, was recog-
nized by the United States after
his friend Chamorro had over
thrown the constitutional govern
ment in which the Liberal Sacasa
was vice president. Sacasa's claim
to the government was recognized
by Mexico and supported by such
Americans as Senator Borah.
In the Stimson settlement which
Tended" the civil war, one group Of
Liberals under General AIoncada
laid down their arms but neither
Eacasa himself nor SANDING ac-
cepted the Stimson terms.
Since then SANDING has led the
armed revolt against the Marines as
foreign invaders"