Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12
Continued From First Page.)


and to avert the anarchy into which
that war was iapSing.
1t is necessary to sketch the previous
history Of Nicaragua to understand the
Joy which reigned in that little country
week ago. For more than 100 years
there had not been an honest election.
Either the party in power had practiced
intimidation at the polls or the outs"
had prevailed by coup d'etat or revolu-
ton. The climax had come in the
Summer of 1925 when Chamorro, de-
feated candidate for the presidency, had
seized the reins of government. Protest
by the American State Department and
Withdrawals of credits soon nullified the
uSurpation and as a result of an in
volved series of incidents Adolfo Diaz
came into the presidency and was Off
cially recognized by the United States.
Whereupon the Liberals, under the
leadership of Juan Sacasa and Gen.
Moncada, raised the flag oksyevolt, and
the fighting, the butchery, The pillage
began.
Policy Was Attacked.
President Colleges policy in Mica
ragua was under attack from a sub
stantial portion of the American press
and the American Senate. During the
"AlAtCL MIS-
sion the charge was frequently made
sdat the United States was acting as
tSellsction agency for American bankers
Tno had invested unwisely, that Diaz
cas- the tool Of these interests, that the
reoels were following in the footsteps
CT our own patriots of 1776. that the
whole affair was imperialism of the
worst sort.
With all these accusations filling his
mind, what hopes of success had Henry
Stimson when he left New York on
April 8, 1927? Would the Diaz govern
ment make any concessions, with Ameri-
can recognition already granted? Would
the rebels yield when millions of Ameri-
cans seemed sympathetic with their
cause? But within a month both sides
had deposited their rifles and their am
munition with the neutral United States
Marines, and Nicaragua was looking
ahead to the elections of 1928. to be
conducted under American supervision
and to constitute the first honest poll
ing In the nations history.
Pointed Out FutiIity.
Stimson succeeded not through the
ordinary wiles of diplomacy. His
method was to convince both sides,
bluntly and yet courteously, of the
futility of the existing situation. He
used no threats, for he knew the Cool
ldge administration could 60 no farther
than it had done. He advised both
sides, Lets forgive and forget and then
start anew" And such was the strength.
the honesty and the personal charm of
the man who made the suggestion that
both sides accepted with an eagerness
which was somewhat surprising in view
Of the prevailing bitterness.
This Nicaraguan background is i'm
portant because it Is the real basis for
Henry Stimson's presence in the State
Department today. OF course, there is
the story in Washington that Mr.. |
Hoover had not even considered the
qualifications of the then Governor |
General Of the Philippines until Charles |
Evans Hughes and Elihu Root, called |
to Washington by the PreSident-elect, |
had separately answered, "Stimson,"
when asked to nominate a Secretary of |
State
That may be true. But there are
even stronger reasons to believe that |
the first place in the cabinet had been
settled many weeks before Perhaps on
the day that the goodwill mission to
South America paused at Corinto and
Nicaraguans and Americans, Liberals
and Conservatives, partisans of Mon
cada and of Diaz. could find no word
Of praise too extravagant for Henry
Stimson.
Or perhaps even before that. as the
mighty Maryland rode out the storms Of
the Pacific, when the President-elect
picked up Stimson's little volume to
freshen up on Nicaragua and found in
its moving pages the outlines of the man
Of action he was seeking.
Story Of His Career.
Henry Lewis Stimson, now 81, was
In his fortieth year before he first
heard the call to service. A native of
New York City, he had attended Yale
and Harvard Law School, and as an I'M |
tried cub lawyer had found q place in |
the famous law firm headed by Elihu
Root There he had quickly demon
strated his right to be associated closely