Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-20
SAFETY MEASURES
TAKEN IN HONDURAS.
Danger to Americans Is Dis
counted-Quick End of
Revolt Seen.
Continued From First Page)

Continued From First Page)
panies are keeping steamships within
reach to evacuete Americans and Euro
peans If necessary.
Families Taken to Ports.
Wherever possible women and chill
dren have been brought in from outly-
ing regions to the ports.
Lay said he had informed representa-
tives of the European powers in Tegu-
cigalpa that American consuls would
do everything possible to protect their
nationals In the troubled area.
Secretary Stimson said the situation
in Honduras is different from that in
Nicaragua, and there Is apparently a
revolutionary movement against the
Honduran government"
THE American forces will limit them
selves to making provisions for the
safety Of American lives and property
In the coast towns" he said.
Unrest Known for Some Time.
The Secretary added there was no
indication that the trouble in Honduras
was in any way connected with recent
outlaw depredations in Eastern Mica
ragua. On the other hand, 1t had been
known for some time that dangerous
economic and labor situation was de-
veloping along the producing
coast OF Honduras, which might break
out into revolutionary or other disorders.
The secretary made public State De-
partment figures showing that there
were l,252 American citizens at the last
count in the four principal ports az
fected by the revolution, 372 at Puerto
CorteZ, 1913 at Tela, 247 at Puerto Cas-
tilla and 300 at Ceiba. Virtually all
of these were employees of the three big
American fruit interests-Uh1ited Fruit
Co., Standard Fruit and Steamship Co,
Cuyamel Fruit-or members OF their
families.
u. S. Rushes Warships.
To protect American lives, the United
States dispatched three fighting YES
sells TO Honduras. The cruisers Tren-
ton and Marblehead were ordered from
Guantanamo, Cuba, base OF the Scout
ing feet. to Trujillo and Puerto Cortez,
respectively. Another cruiser, the Mem
phis, left Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, on
a schedule which put her on La Ceiba,
Honduras at 8 am. today.
Trujillo, which has a population oil
about 1000, is in almost the exact
center of the Northern Honduras coast
About go miles west is La Ceiba, which
boasts 10000 inhabitants. Nearly IS
miles farther west Is Puerto CorteZ
About midway between Puerto Corte2
and La Ceiba is Tela, where, among
other places, forces loyal to President
Mejia Colindres were said TO have
beaten of an attack
Severe Fighting at Tela.
A radio dispatch from Tegucigalpa,
CAPITAL. said the Tela assault was re-
PEELED after severe fighting. The num-
Der Of casualties was not known.
So far the trouble had not spread TO
Tegucigalpa. 1t is in the interior and
separated from the threatened ports by
mountains. 1t was believed the reVolu-
tionists would attempt to obtain con-
troll of the ports before advancing on
TeguciRaIpa. United States Minister
julius G. Day officially reported the
uprising had begun on Saturday, in
surgents apparently intending TO cen
ter their initial efforts along the coast
Although major interest conferred on
Honduras, the United States continued
10 watch Nicaragua The gunboat
Nashville moved so miles from Cape
Gracias a Dios to Puerto Cabezas, tax
ing the post left vacant by the Mem
phis. Before the Memphis departed,
however, she debarked an of1cer and
i SAllOTS ava
believed Suflcient for immediate needs
The aircraft carrier Langley, with her
more than 80 airplanes, also was on
her way to Puerto Cabszas from Guam
tanamo.
All Bluefields the cruiser Rochester
had taken post. The gunboat Sacra-
mento already was at that pert and
had thrown ashore a, detachment oil
81 men. Since activity in the Cape
Gracias a Dios area had SubSided since
the killing of eight American civilians
and one Marine officer, and all Ameri-
cans there were said TO have been
evacuated, no warship was left in that
port.
Strict Neutrality Ordered.
Instructions to ship commanders IN
Honduras conformed with the new
American policy adopted last week
toward Nicaragua. They were 10 limit
tha.- operations to the protection OF
American lives and property in coast
towns, not sending forces inland.
strict neutrality Is to be maintained.
There appeared, too, some difference
In the activities CT insurgent forces in
the two countries. Gen. Augustine San
dino in Nicaragua has been bitter
toward Americans, and men following
him were credited with the nine casual
ties.
William C. Du -Four, counsel for the
Standard Fruit & Steamship Co., said
he had been advised Gen. Ferrera does
not intend to harm any foreigners or TO
damage their property more than Is
absolutely necessary. Ferreras act1vl-
ity, Du -Four said, was directed solely
against the Honduran government.
L No. mAa .