Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26
BY z. BRUQUIERE,

cional and Commander of Police.
~ ED flags will temporarily displace
- the national blue-white barred
banner of Nicaragua over the
i housetops and doorways of Leon,
Nicaragua's largest city and
Liberalisms stronghold. In Granada
Conservative center, on the shores of
Lake Nicaragua, will appear flags of
green. The event: Nicaragua's election
of of "a Senators ana a. "a 40 Depu-
ties. wnicn will take place November 2
under United States supervision.
For every $4,000 inhabitants there Is
one Deputy, and one Senator for every
two Deputies. The coming congressional
election will be one strongly contested,
because at present the two parties are
equally divided in the Senate. and in
the Chamber of Deputies the Conserva-
tives have a majority of only one. Bar
ring the possibility of a split in one
party or the other. these elections will
indicate the probable outcome of the
presidential elections of November, 1882
In the present elections the national
electoral board and the electoral boards
OF the cantonS or polls will be made up
OF three suplentes or members, one from
each party and the chairman a member
OF the United States forces In Nicaragua
The ballots, besides the usual printed
matter, bear red and green circles, re-
spectively the Liberal and Conservative
colors, for the benefit of the illiterates
so per cent of the republics population.
AS each man casts his vote the thumb
and forefnger Of his left hand will be
dipped in an indelible fluid resembling
red Ink, to prevent him repeating his
ballot.
Guards for Election.
At each canton there will be at least
one Guardia soldier and one United
States Marine or sailor. The Guardia
soldier Is not permitted to enter the
canton, a precaution to prevent recrimi-
nation or intimidation. Just before
election the sale of aguardiente Is lin
tied, and on election day its sale, to-
gether with that Of other strong liquors,
Is prohibited.
Aguardiente is O government monop-
olized Sugar-rum, sold at IS per cent
alcoholic content and commonly known
as "guaro." Its use by politicians to
buy votes was largely responsible for
the $50 deaths which occurred in the
1924 election riots in the city Of Leon
alone. 1t is the only liquor within the
means of the mozo or laborer.
To comprehend Nicaraguan politics 1t
Is necessary to understand that the
words conservative" and liberal" as
applied are meaningless in themselves.
Though these are the only parties of
importance in Nicaragua, their plat
forms are of secondary Importance to
their geographical positions. A mans
party Is generally determined by that of
his family; his family's by the place
they live.
The Conservative element controls
the heart of the coffee areas. Because
coffee constitutes IS to IS per cent Of
the country'S export, the Conservatives
may be considered the capitalistic par
ty The Liberal area, low-lying, fiat
territory, Is suitable for the culture Of
corn and sugar. Practically no corn Is
exported, and of sugar only about Is
per cent of the total exports. Most of
those not employed in sugar growing
Liberalism Is more . peoples party
(Its red banner has no Communistic
signiflcance.)
Feeling Runs High.
Throughout Nicaraguan history, at
election times the people lose their nat
urally strong national patriotism. The
country divides itself into the camps
of the Liberals and Conservatives. The
northwestern areas are decidedly Lib
eral, the southwestern decidedly Con-
sentative, while the central section,
where the capital, Managua, Is situated,
Is about equally divided, varying only
slightly from time to time. The east
coast has ill-deflned political borders
and is much less important politically
than the more densely populated west
coast. In the west party patriotism Is
deep seated and antagonism against the
opposite faction bitter and often violent.
The coming elections will be super
vised by the United States Electoral
Mission, headed by Capt. Alfred W..
johnson, U. S. N, and composed of
more than $50 United States Marines
and sailors. Until April /, 1880, Capt.
Johnson was director of naval tntelli-
gence in Washington.
This will be the third time that the
United States has supervised Nicara-
guam elections. The first attempt was
in 1924. After DR.. H. w. Dodds, rec
commended to Nicaragua by our State
Department, drafted the DobbS electoral
law, passed in 1928. four Marines were
detailed to assist in an unofficial ca
pacity in the 1924 registration. The at
tempt failed, naturally, as lack Of per-
sonnet and unofflcial standing of all
parties made success impossible.
Opposition to Policy.
Opposition toward the United States
supervision has been pressed by the
Chamorro faction and others. The first
tranSitory electoral law, drafted in 1927
to allow supervision under the Stimson
agreement (Tipitapa treaty. was passed
by Nicaragua's Senate in January, 1928
The Chamorro section of the Chamber
OF Deputies opposed it as being uncon-
stitutional.
The substitute law passed by the
Deputies was not satisfactory to the
United States, which declared the SEN
ate law entirely unconstitutional So
the Senate amended their law and
passed 1t by vote of 16 to 8. In March
the Deputies defeated 1t by "A to 18.
This not only created much delay but
was arousing an antagonistic attitude
among the people. So Adobe Diaz
paved the way for supervision by presi-
Dental decree.
The second United States mission was
headed by Brig. Gen. (now Maj.
GEM Frank Mccoy. That supervision
was this time successful Is shown by
the fact that in 1924 of the $4,000
who registered only $4,000 voted, with
consequent destruction of life and prop
erty..
In small village in the northern
province Of Nueva Segovia 1 once ex-
amined a number of names left behind
by officials fleeing before Gen. San
dino's advance. They showed that some
of the registrants for 1924 had died as
early as 1916. Strange to say they had
not only registered but had voted
In 1928 of the 10000 registrants,
$4,000 voted in complete order. And
at this time the male population was
considerably depleted by the recent
civil war.
Calm Election Expected.
There Is little undue excitement ex-
pected in Nicaragua over the elections
on November 2. In the Departments of
Chinandsga and Leon the victory will
very likely be Liberal. In the De-