Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-04
CENTRAL AMERICAN PEACE
THREATENED BY DISPUTE
Boundary Quarrel Between Guatemala
and Honduras Grows to Alarming
Proportions.
BY CASTOR NERVAL.


~ URING the past few weeks
rather alarming news has been
received in Washington as to
~ relations between Guatemala
and Honduras. News agency
reports, private letters and official COM
munications of the two governments
have been the subject of comment here
in political and diplomatic circles. One
day there is news that Honduras is pro-
testing to the government Of Guatemala,
alleging that the latter is occupying
with military forces territory pertaining
to Honduras. The next day comes news
OF a Guatemalan protest in regard to
incursions by Honduras in territory Of
the former. Constant reports come that
the situation is serious, and the friendly
relations of the two countries are at the
mercy of possible incidents between the
small garrisons occupying the two sides
of an indefinite boundary line.
The boundary dispute between Guatc-
mala and Honduras is an old one, like
all those which have arisen between
Latin American countries since they de-
clared independence and constituted
themselves sovereign nations. During a
long period this question lay dormant.
The disputed territory had. until a short
time ago, q very small population, with
agricultural and commercial development.
The efforts toward economic develop
ment of Guatemala and Honduras were
concentrated on the Pacific Coast re-
gions, nearer to and having better
means of communication with Guate-
mala City or with Tegucigalpa, the cap
ital Of Honduras.
Two Extensive Plantations.
However, about 20 years ago some
North American promoters discovered
that most of this region of virgin land
was admirably suited to large-scale
production of bananas. Today two
powerful companies have established
extensive plantations on the Atlantic
slopes of Guatemala and Honduras.
The United Fruit Co. was the pioneer
the first to invest large amounts of cap
ital in the development Of the banana
industry, both In Guatemala and Hon.
duras, and its plantations now extend
to Costa Rica and Colombia. After
ward came another corporation, the
Cuyamel Fruit Co., which obtained eX-
tensive concessions of land from Hon.
duras and Yields great influence in
that country. The GuatemalanS state
that the lands conceded by Honduras to
this company include much territory
which belongs historically to Guate-
mala.
On examining an agricultural map of
Central America, it is seen that the
two companies hold adjacent conces-
sions in many sections, which explains
the competition and rivalry between
them. The United Fruit Co. lands in
Guatemala extend to the right bank of
the Montagu River. the great water
route of this country. The Cuyamel
Co., under the protection of the Hon.
duran government, is extending its
holdings quietly, but tenaciously, up to
the same right bank of the MontagU.
constructing, little by little, railroad
and tram lines, seeking to get nearer
the river.
It may be said. therefore, that the
question between Guatemala and Hon
duras has two quite distinct phases.
The first, principal and Oldest one, is
based on the claims Of both states TO
extensive territories, calculated, at the
maximum, at about 10000 square miles.
The second, involved in the first. has to
do with the rivalry between the two
fruit companies, and the periodical ad-
vances made by the Cuyamel. And
even though this rivalry has not Gre
ated the dispute, it has served to len5
it a seriousness which 1t did not before
possess.
Long Discussion.
Efforts have been made at various
times to settle the question amicably.
About 1917 the two countries decided to
name the United States as friendly
mediator and to hold conferences in
Washington, under the auspices of the
mediator, which took place in 1918 and
1919. The discussions were long. There
were presented royal orders, cedulas Of
the Spanish kings, orders of bishops,
title deeds, maps, historical works, ETC.,
etc. Guatemala, through her docu-
ments, claimed the lands which the
King Of Spain assigned to her in a
cedula Of 1863, confirmed, as shown by
Chandler Anderson. legal adviser,
by another cedula of 1864. Honduras,
however, argued that the latter cedula
annulled the first, and demanded the
establishment Of the line as set forth,
for the purpose of military defense
of territory, in deed made out in 1745
in favor of Col. Juan de Vera. The dis
cussions continued long, but no agree
ment was reached, for the mediator
decreed that, before making any rec
ommendation or passing Judgment on
the matter scientific survey should
be made Of the territory in dispute.
Under the auspices Of the National
Geographic Society such survey was
made, and reports on it were added to
the voluminous mass proofs and allega-
tons which both sides had submitted.
A sort Of provisional line. based on a
partly defined status quo, was estab-
lished by the two countries, and ever
since there have been sporadic attempts
to reach an agreement. Honduras
maintaining her claim to the Valley of
the Montagu and Guatemala insisting,
as a minimum, upon a boundary line
running along the tops of a range of
mountains, called. In part, ''Merendon. +"