Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-14

MUCH has been written and said about the
"backwardness" of Central American re-
publics and about the beneficial results" of
American occupations. SANDING, however has
an answer to that. He claims that this back
wardness has been fostered by American inter-
ests, that revolutions and troubles have for
years been deliberately stirred up in order to
win unlawful concessions from temporary pup
pet governments.
Roosevelt's alleged fostering of the Pana-
man revolution in order to gain the rights
to the canal is given an example. The rebel
leader claims that if the unhappy nations of
Haiti, Santo Domingo and the rest of Central
America had been left alone, instead of being
made to wallow in state or artificially fos-
tered anarchy, they would have been able to
work out their own salvations and follow in
the footsteps of Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
The justice of his claims cannot be gagged
at the present time. 1 have seen more of Gen.
trail American revolutions than the majority
of people and know that the Inside stories
of most of these uprisings will probably never
be generally known. SANDING talks earnestly
and well. His arguments, backed up by action,
coming from a man Of fixed purpose, have won
him many fanatical adherents and constitute
the greatest menace today TO American isthmi-
an supremacy.
Knowing the man as I do, am convinced
that he will fight for his ideals until he is
dous popularity and the indelible stamp his
personality leaves wherever he goes, GER
tain that somebody else will take up the fight.
Not in warfare alone has he trained his lieu
tenants
His popularity is not confined to Nicaragua
alone. 1t has spread over all Of Central Amer
lea, to Honduras, Guatemala Mexico.
While he lived in Merida he was one of the
most beloved men there, in spite of the fact
that he never showed himself at public festivals
or other community gatherings. He and his
lived in house that was given to them.
They slept in hammocks and lived frugally
without any show display whatever.
There was no surplus talk, no swashbuckling,
no Napoleonic strutting From several Of the
wealthy men of the town he could have had
anything he wanted He refused all local aid
from his supporters in Nicaragua, and he took
only the barest necessities
CTORIES are heard all over Genital America
- Of how he went hungry again and again to
give food to poor people who needed it more
than he Perhaps they are untrue in fact, but
still they are true of the character Of the man
as I know him.
His soldiers, many Of them mere boys of 16
or II, worship him with q fanatical zeal. thor
oughly convinced that he is always just, even
if terribly severe He himself, in his awkward,
clumsy way, is extremely fond of these "chil-
dren" of his.
Again and again he makes one Of those dra-
matte gestures that stamp him as leader Of
men. They have been ascribed to clever and
subtle showmanship, and in effect he is un-
doubtedly one OF the greatest showmen alive
today Personally, however, I am convinced
that his actions are prompted by terrible
earnestness, and doubt if ne himself Is aware
of playing to a CELERY No matter. Whatever
the motive, the effect is the same and the effect
Is the only thing that counts to the American
Marines and the Nicaraguan canal.
Whil he was operating near Fl Chipote for
instance. he took possession Of the American
gold tAe o. San Albino, where he had once
workef.1'1 common laborer and where he had