The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-23
WAR BETWEEN
TWO AMERICAS
IS RISING Peril
Monroe Doctrine Is Threat
to Peace of Western
Hemisphere.
LATIN WRATH TANNED
State Department Policy
StirS Hatred South of
Rio Grande.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,
scripps- Howard Foreign Editor


WASHINGTON, April 23.-Armed
cor fict between North and South
AreFica is only a question Of time,
un1Tss the United States modifies
the Mcaroe doctrine in keeping with
present-day conditions.
With a. finger dipped in blood,
Nicaragua today is writing this
message on the Pan-American wall.
And whether or not 1t properly Is
translated and understood in this
country, our Latin neighbors warn
US that it is not going undeci-
phered south Of the Rio Grande.
War between Mexico and the
United States in 1927 was aYerted
by only one thing Mexico simply
was too weak to back up her own
Nicaraguan policy, as against ours
by force of arms. That is all.
Clash with Mexico
Acting under his own interpre-
tation of the Monroe doctrine, Sec
retary of State Kellogg dispatched
5000 marines and fifteen warsnlps
to Nicaragua to bolster up PRESIDENT
Diaz. According to what later
turned out to be majority OF
Nicaraguans, Diaz was unconStltu-
tionally in office.
AS Mexico saw 1t, DR.. Juan b.
gacasa was the constitutional
president by virtue of having been
vice-uresident when the duly elected
president, Solorzano, resigned. 80
she supported Sacasa as lar as sne
dared.
While the United States supplied
arms to Diaz, from some mysterious
gource or other, arms were Smuggleo
an to General Moncada, DR.. SacaSa s
commander in the field, and Presl-
dent Coolidge bluntly accused Mex
leo of backing such shipments.
Trouble will Rise Again
Hot notes passed. War talk was
IN the air. But while Mexico hao
the will. she did not have the means
and a conflict was avoided lime
was TO prove Mexico more nearly
in the right than the United States
THE Disz faction, which we sup
norted was to go. The Sacasa-Mon-
cada faction, which Mexico sup
rorted. was to come into power 6uC
Mexico. for the time being, nao 70
give way. :. ho,,,,d
IN arise again, sooner or later, Is
obvious II the United States per-
eists in it's arbitrary Interpretation
Of the Monroe doctrine. the oCner
twenty republics Of this henn-
rnhere simply will not continue 10
take Intervention lying down
EVERY president since Monroe mas
harmed on the absolute equality OF
the Americas, our Latin nelghpors
observe. So if the United states mas
the right to intervene IN MICA
rao,,a to support Diaz, Argentina
prazil Chile. Mexico or any OF tne
o+ber countries to the south OF us,
has an equal right to intervene IN
x,,onort of a Sacasa or a Moncaoa'
Something Worse Possible
vet something worse than inter
,otional chaos would result II sucr
tights we're acted upon. Indeed
there promptly would be war II only
one other country, in addlVion x
the United States, were to make tne
attempt. a.,
nevertheless, the Nicaraguan incl
dent was a clear warning OF what tc
expect. once the fast growing powers
Of the western world reach point
where one of them, or coantior
Of them, feels it has ngntlne
chance to challenge the Colossus o.
the North" and get away with 1t.
Manifestly, friendly Latins earn
estly contend, some understanding
with regard to the Monroe doctrine
must be reached, and soon, as MS
tory records time, If tragedy Is tc
be avoided.