Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-19
navy. WILL GUARD
.:.N|CARAGUAN PORTS
&.
Stimson Says U. S. win Not
Abandon Americans to As
+. Sassination by Bandits.
Continued From First Pagel

Continued From First Pagel
getting the American forces out of
Nicaragua as early as possible.
Secretary Stimson's statement in re-
gard to Nicaragua was as follows
The problem before the Government
today Is not a problem of the protec-
ton of Its citizens In Nicaragua from
a war. but from murder and assasslna-
ton In that respect 1t is totally diff
ferent from the problem which existed
in 1925.
Neutral Zones Established.
In 1926. two armies, consisting of
two or three thousand men each, were
fighting in Nicaragua on the east coast.
Both armies professed to be carrying
out the rules of warfare and to be pro-
tecting neutrals and neutral property.
So the problem of this Government was
solved by establishing neutral zones in
which, by agreement with both armies
at that time, hostilitieS did not enter.
These neutral zones, as recall it, were
established with the consent of both
the Liberal and Conservative comman-
ders of the contending armies. There
was no organized attempt to murder
private citizens of any country The
problem was only to protect them from
LQe ueNlIdDle CdtdSbtOpIIcS Va wal
Now we have a situation where
small groups of confessed outlaws,
treated as outlaws by the Nicaraguan
government, are making their way
through the jungle to the east coast,
with the avowed intention of murder
ing and pillaging the civilian inhabi-
itAnts of the country. The terrain
,|here this is taking place is one OF the
ithickest jungles in the world. The rain
no cf nf Mia iS
lsomething more than double the rain
fall on the west coast and as result
this Is very thick jungle country, re-
lalon where it would be almost irnpos-
,S5ble for regular troops to operate ef-
,6ectively, even if it were attempted.
40 Constabulary Is Trained.
ba"Another point of difference which Is
initial is that in 1925 there was no
HNicaraguan constabulary. Since that
Etame, for nearly four years, our officers
Niiave been helping the Nicaraguan gov
nefnment train a force of constabulary
Especially for fighting In this kind Of
nterrain, the very object being to pro-
,3lce the most appropriate kind Of force
ITO meet tropical and jungle conditions
,lof warfare. That force has been re-
identity raised from 1850 to over 2100
ysa1d is reported by its officers as being
Highly efficient.
4 ! Purely from the standpoint of pro-
lection the most effective way to protect
1.-THE American and foreign civilians who
nave been suddenly exposed to this
danger in the forests of Eastern Nicara-
'lgua is to give them warning of the dam
Ger and an opportunity to escape to the
Nprotection of the coast towns; and then
b1pr this specially trained constabulary
hto operate in the jungle against the
bandits. If the number of constabu-
i,lAry now on the east coast is not suffi-
uelent for that purpose, there are GER
sfainly enough elsewhere to reinforce
Them against these comparatively small
ibands of outlaws. American naval YES
isels are standing by at all the threat
Aened east coast ports with orders to
sRrotect life and property at these ports.
these ships will remain until the dan
I Ger is over.
ks Not to Enter Interior.
! : by assisting the government Of
Nicaragua In organizing and training
. competent gusrdia, we are not only
furnishing the most practical and eff
!, fective method Of meeting the bandit
!, problem and the protection of Ameri-
cans and foreigners In Nicaragua from
i It's attendant perils, but we are at the
fame time recognizing that 1t Is a
\ problem with which the sovereign gov
eminent of Nicaragua Is primarily con-
Serned and a problem which it Is
4 primarily the right and duty OF that
I government to solve. There has been
mo change in the determination OF the
American Government not TO SEND
American troops into the interior.
The events of this last week have
gpretty thoroughly torn the mask OF the
scharacter Of the mythical patriot San
edino. Two of his lieutenants have been
areco9nized as leaders Of these outlaw
strands. and both from their work and
from the evidence of captured papers,
ethey are shown to have been engaged in
"a deliberate plan of assassination and
spillage against helpless civilians of vari-
sous nationalities including Nicaraguans,
working in mines and logging camps.
! The movement Of these outlaws
sfrom the northwestern provinces to
kthe eastern coast Of Nicaragua came
sJust after the terrific earthquake which
sprostrated the center OF that country,
swhen every humane impulse was TO assist
sthose who were suffering from the
catastrophe and when all forces, in
ecluding Marines and constabulary, were
Engaged In the alienation of distress.
at was in the hour of his country's
Sdesoiation that SANDING chose TO send
This outlaws across the country TO attack
sthe region which he believed to be left
sunguarded."
In Line with Usual Practice"
: The policy Of the United States, an
nnounced by Secretary StimSon, which
@looks to the government OF Nicaragua
Sand the guardia TO protect Americans
sand other foreigners in the interior Of
) that country, Is certainly in line with
1.-THE usual practice" according to DR..
Don Juan B. Sacasa. the Nicaraguan
minister in Washington.
DR.. Sacasa said he had no dispatches
yesterday giving additional information
sas 10 the situation. He expressed the
sopinion. however, that his government
aand the Guardia, with the aid of tie
American naval vessels and the Ma
9 rines on the coast. would be able Il
shandle the situation.
3 1t was his information, he said, that
2 the banditry which has been l-oting
and killing on the east coast is a COM
sparatiyely small force, perhaps not
! more than $50 men. who have taken
, advantage Of the disastrous earthquake
Z which devastated Managua while the
+ governments attention was directed 70
that situation.
Protests TO the American Govern
ment from investors in Nicaragua
! against the announced policy are under
way end some have been received
uoTn GAMING prSpoNSTpTF