Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-06
MARINES RECALL
IS HELD UNLIKELY
More Expected to Be Sent to
Nicaragua to Help End
Banditry.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Hoover and Secretary Slim
son are in nomentary expectation OF an
other blow-up in the Senate over Mica
ragua in consequence of the killing OF
detachment of United States Marines by
Sandino's bandits. There is sure, the
administration anticipates, to be a de-
mand for the complete withdrawal of
Marines from Nicaragua and of all other
forms of American Intervention In the
republics domestic affairs. At this
writing there Is no likelihood that any
such pressure from Capitol Hill will be
needed. Indeed, the probability Is
greater that more Marines viii be sent
into the country to finish the job of
Kidding it of banditry.
The 1000 Marines still in Nicaragua
have been left there at the urgent re-
the purpose of helping the Guardia Ma
cional "pacify'' the land-a policing OPP
Grafton which, it was thought, the
Guardia would in time be able to carry
out, after complete organization and
training by Marines serving as officers
and leaders of that national body of
troops. As the recent ambushing affair
shows, SANDING and his guerrilla war
fare are not yet wiped out. II the
National Guard isn't capable of doing
the job, Uncle Sam may find 1t advis-
Devil Dogs to help out.
Not Debt Collectors"
A mistaken notion is widely preva-
lent that the Marines are still being
used in Nicaragua to collect debts" for
Wall Street" or for other purposes not
directly affecting the official interests of
the United States. This contention Is
branded at the State Department as
wholly inaccurate. The department de-
clares that Marines have never been
used for such purposes anywhere. Our
principal interest in Nicaragua is in
connection with another isthmian canal,
TO parallel the Panama Canal, or to
take its place II the latters usefulness
ing interoceanic traffic should turn out
to be inadequate. Several hundred
United States Army engineers are now
in Nicaragua surveying route to link
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts Of the
country for eventual conversion into a
canal. The engineers are at work in
pursuance of an act of Congress, spon-
sored by former Senator Edge, Repub-
lican, of New Jersey, just prior to his
appointment as American Ambassador
to France.
The United States is taking time by
the forelock in projecting Nicaraguan
canal. Once upon a time the French
were in control of the waterway which
is now the Panama Canal. Nicaragua,
or any other Latin American country,
being of fully sovereign status, could
tomorrow. if It wished, enter into nego-
tiations with a European or Asiatic
power for canal rights across the
| isthmuS. This Is not strong posi-
| bility, but it is a contingency which
| American craftsmanship wants to guard
against betimes. The temptation for
European Intervention in Nicaragua, our
Government feels, would be nourished
| by revolutionary conditions there.
| Senate discussion of our Marines
activities in Nicaragua will bring out
demand for the setting of definite
date for the withdrawal of American
| forces from the country. Washington
authorities in touch with the situation
doubt whether it is possible at this
time to FIX such period. An Ameri-
can officer recently in Nicaragua IN
connection with the peacefully con-
Quoted congressional elections reports
that economic conditions possibly &C
count for the continuance of banditry.
SANDING, this officer believes, has Sc
cured a new lease OF life on account
of the poverty and unemployment
existing almost everywhere. BY Offer
ing work in one single district, the
American military man induced 12S
| AACAl W ACdFC OAAC 6ohAAAASO1 AoAAhS'
Solution Suggested.
The question is also certain to be
raised in the Senate as to whether the
United States should indefinitely agree
to supervise Nicaraguan elections, as
we did (for president) in 1928 and
(for congress) in 1880. The presence
of Marines. in the country is an after.
. math of these supervisory interven-
tions. Henry L. Stimson, who brought
about the ending of the 1926-192f
revolution, expressed the view at thai
time that supervision was positively
essential to free and fair elections,
unless Nicaragua were to be giver
over to anarchy. In a review of the
Nicaraguan political situation, on thu
eve Of the recent killing of Marines
near Ocotal, the Foreign Policy Asso.
J citation suggested that the solution Of
the country's troubles might be founC
in the establishment of a permanent
coalition government by the warrinl
Liberals and Conservatives. Such 3
coalition would tend to bury party an,
tagonislr1s and to impose responsibility
upon both, groups for the Development
Of the country.