Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26
NICARAGUA, WITH u. S. AID,
EXPECTS QUIET ELECTION
Voting Next Sunday, Senators and Depu-
ties May FOreshadow 1892
Presidential Winner

civic improvements. Building OF roads
all over the country has progressed
rapidly and effort Is being made to CO.
operate with the International Highway
Commission. A railroad Is under con.
struction between Leon. where II Joins
the present line from Corinto to Ora
NADIA. and Diriaamba and FL Sauce. It
is planned to continue the line north.
ward to Ocotal and thence into Hon
duras.
Being an eSeAne-ssSS mi3iSAYy strategisk
President Moncado realizes the Inn
portance of communication and rapid
transportation. He is rebuilding COM
muncation lines destroyed during the
last revolution and erecting new ones.
Preliminary surveys have been com.
pleted for the establishment of q sea-
port on the Gulf of Fonseca, large,
sheltered body of water snoring on
Nicaragua. FL Salvador and Honduras.
He has also made beneficial changes In
many of the laws of the country.
Depression Is Factor.
On the other hand, the world depres-
sion of coffee and sugar markets has
had the same i'll effects in Nica1lgua Is
in other Latin American countries. The
administration is made the butt Of
much criticism that 1t does not deserve,
on this account.
Zen. MOnCAQa has OEeI1 one Oh k4lo
most dictatorial Presidents in Central
America during recent years. Shortly
after taking office he arrested more
than so political offenders. They were
confined in the national penitentiary,
deported or exiled. The freedom Of the
press also suffered in the suppression Of
several opposition papers.
When in Leon, Moncada's choice for
mayor was defeated by another Liberal,
l1Vtk hn TAfn HY
governor of the department, Senior Bal
lardares Torres. was Immediately re-
moved from office. Gen. A. Castro
WaSSmer, the mayor of Leon leaving
Office was called to ManaguS for a con-
ference with Moncada. Returning from
Managua he told me that Moncada had
been furious that he. tro-Wassner,
Nacional, to the Liberal cause as
whole, leaving the choice of the man
himself to the people. The President
considered that FL Eco Nacional
should have supported his choice. Senior
Castro-Wassmer's strong party inf1u-
ence has been lessened by his appoint
ment in August to the consul generalcy
In London by Moncada.
When q like thing occurred In Ma
nagua, the city was declared q federal
district and the necessity OF . mayor
was obviated altogether.
Military Law Upheld.
The placing Of i've northern prov
inces under state of Seige was criticised
in many quarters. But IN 3 country
being preyed upon hy the bandit forces
of Altimirano. Ortez and Salgado, milf
tary law was necessary to the operations
of the Guardia Nacional.
The Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua.
formed In 1927, ID the army and mill.
tary police of the republic. Its officers
are, for the most part, members OF the
United States Marine Corps and Navy.
There are now large number OF Mica.
raguan officers.
Il is a nonpartian organization At
is often asked: why can't the Guards
maintain order during elections?" While
serving as "commandante de policia" In
Leon City during the 1928 registra-
tons I arrested several men who had
Illegally congregated and resisted the
efforts Of Guardias on duty at cantons,
who were telling citizens to fan In ct
the end of the line instead OF At ats
head.
The following day scathing and lurid
articles appeared in the papers OF both
parties that their adherents were being
maliciously arrested to prevent their
registering and that they had been
driven from the polls by armed Guar
dias. Both charges were ridiculous.
But identical charges were mace
throughout the country.
No Libel Laws.
It is impossible to obtain clear
view Of the situation at election time
through the ultra-sensational NicarA-
suan press Each newspaper digs 1ar
| into the past for evidence against the
opposite party, dramatizing 1t with the
true Latin hand. Politicians are up
imaginable crime. As there are no
libel laws in the country. reprisals takes
place only if the offended one comes 20
bower or decides to settle the matter
by personal Justice" As rule ne
answers the charge with another more
blasting. a.,
The hacienda, or ranch owners, win
control as powerful q vote as most OF
the smaller politicians. Owners OF
larger business houses also are 1nnuen-
tial In order to keep their jobs EN-
ployes are escorted to the cantonS by
the employer or his trusted aid to IN
sure this. In most cases one Guaroia
or more is assigned to escort the voters,
so that they will not be confused Dy
authorities with an illegal gathering.
Various reforms in the electoral laws
were approved by the government In
August. Most important among them
are the recognition of certain independ-
ent candidates and the right OF .
voter to register after one months resi-
dence.
Gen. Augustine SANDING, outlawed
rebel, will have no influence upon the
coming elections Although 1t was re-
Gently reported by DR.. Pedro Zapeda,
Sandinista agent in Mexico, that San
dino had been wounded in battle In
Nicaragua, officials of the Guardia do
not believe that SANDING has been IN
the country during the last two years.
General opinion Is that he is in the
lawless disputed territory between Hon
duras and Nicaragua, north Of the Coco
River bounds.