Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-18
The United States and Nicaragua.

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1t is unfortunate that the announce
ment from the State Department yester-
day regarding the policy of the United
States in respect to the protection OF
American lives in Nicaragua was not
more complete and explicit. The i'm
mediate effect of the statement was
that this Government has amended its
course respecting the maintenance OF
order in the Central American country
whereas, upon close scrutiny of the text
and analysis in the light Of past per-
formances, it is evident that the United
States is proposing only to limit the
protection of its nationals and Incl
dentally the nationals of other coun-
tries. than Nicaragua to the area Of the
coastal regions, where protection can be
effectively afforded
The United States has never under
taken specifically to maintain order
throughout Nicaragua. 1t has under
taken, at the request of the recognized
government, to supervise national cleo
tons and to prevent the spread Of a
certain instruction. From that task
it has lately started to withdraw and
has announced that the Marine forces
maintained in Nicaragua for many
months would be evacuated from the
field. The disaster at Managua threw
the country into turmoil again and
precipitated> a new condition. The
United States continued in its prepara-
lions for the withdrawal Of the Marines.
The Sandinistas became suddenly active.
and in raids made upon east coast cities
lives were lost, Americans included.
Now Nicaragua is in dangerously
disorganized state. The question Is
whether the United States is to go to
the rescue of the established govern
ment and support it against Its enemies
or to withdraw its forces from the in
terror. 1t proposes to evacuate the
interior area, leaving to the national
forces of Nicaragua the task, rightly
theirs, in normal conditions, of main
tanning order and giving protection to
the foreigners who remain within the
Eope. of danger,
Nevertheless, it will be harmful TO
the prestige Of the United States If
the, impression spreads that it is lessen
ing its interest In the maintenance OF
stable government in Central America.
1t viii. be disastrous II, especially in
Europe, the idea obtains that the United
States will no longer, in the spirit of
the Monroe Doctrine, guarantee Sc
curity. in the area Of its protective
interest.
The spectacle of American policing OF
any foreign land Is distasteful to the
people of this country. But the spec
tacle of quitting a responsibility that
has been assumed in part by virtue OF
national traditional policy and in part
by invitation of government in dis
tress is even more distasteful.
1t remains 10 be said that while an
nouncement of the plan to withdraw
the Marines was made sufficiently long
ago to enable those who doubt the
ability Of Nicaragua to afford protection
to them to remove to places Of security,
there was no thought that it would
be carried into effect when the con-
ditions became such as to render Ameri-
can protection to aliens most essential
Had the turmoil of today prevailed when
the announcement was made there
would have been immediate and indig-
nant protest from the entire country
and strong demur from Europe.
The hope is that there win be no
disaster, that no more foreign lives will
be lost in Nicaragua, and that the coun-
try will stabilize itself soon. Otherwise
there will be decided disapproval oil
the course now indicated as the policy
Of the United States.