Evening star., 1931-11-29
What Marines Mean to. L. S.
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things lessened the force of the Monroe
Doctrine, with its clear implication that
foreign powers are not to establish
themselves in this hemisphere These
factors, whether or not one approves OF
them, forced on the United States the
responsibility of seeing that a modicum
of order was preserved in areas close TO
the Panama Canal.
For the execution of this policy, the
Marines have been the principal imple-
ment. They have gone into countries
such as Santo Domingo and Haiti and
by the mere act o. keeping the peace
have enabled the natives to divert their
energies from banditry and bloodshed
to more stable social order. If they
had confined themselves to police work
their contribution would have been
example, Marine supervision has led tc
the construction of roads and schools
to the improvement of sanitation and
of public finances and to reforms Of
legal methods which had been unbe-
lievably inefficient and antiquated.
When President Hoover withdrew
most of the Marines from Haiti last
year, such hope as the Haitians had OF
developing into full-fledged state was
beside the point to say that certain
Haitian elements did not wish to have
these improvements made, for the
Marines had nothing to do with the
policy which sent them there. What
must be admitted is that the Marines
executed that policy with the utmost
efficiency and honesty and that whether
or not the natives wished 1t, they did
the natives a vast service.
Revolt Started Again.
The Marines, then, served in a CO.
lonial capacity. The most recent ano
was in Nicaragua. This unfortunate
land had had Its succession of petty
and cruel tyrants who kept the country
in a constant state of revolt. For about
IL years, however, there had been quiet
due to the fact that about 100 Marines
were stationed at the American lega-
ton. When these Marines were with
drawn by President Coolidge in 1926
revolt started again, with degree o1
bloodshed which could scarcely be sur
passed.
1t then seemed plain that to keep
Marines in a country merely in suffi-
c1ent numbers to support corrupt die
tator was scarcely worth while. 1t was
thought that ttrhaps assistance could
be given Nicara sua which would enable
her to keep her own house in order SC
as to conform sufficiently closely to
that international standard of conduct
which the world requires. In order to
become a full-tledged state, Nicaragua
needed primarily two things police
force and roads whereby this force
could be brought to bear on the CEN
ters OF revolt. These centers, far away
in jungle Businesses, could sometimes
be reached only by two months travel
a period in which time any number OF
violenceS could be committed. But be-
fore these things could be done, a rea-
Sonably stable government had to be
created-and the corner stone for such
a government lay in fair and free
election.
This was something which Nicaragua
had never had before, and it involved
duty which was very novel to most of
the Marines. Prior to that time an
election had been sign for mass
drunkenness, for frequent voting by
every adherent Of the dictatorship in
power and terrorism for those who were
contrary minded. Gen. Frank r. Nc
Coy, who was appointed by the Presi-
dent to supervise the election, had, in
spite of his military status, spent much
of his life in colonial work-in Cuba,
rare tact he succeeded in getting the
various factions in Nicaragua to agree
to a fair election. He organized. the
country irto election districts, some
400 in number, and at each polling
place was committee of three, con-
sisting Of one member of the "ins,' -
one member Of the "outs" and one
Marine, who was chairman.
Had Difficult Task
The Marine chairman had a difficult
job. For many months in advance of
the election he had to be at his post
to supervise the registration of voters
and to decide the many contentious
questions which kept stirring the minds
of the hot-blooded Nicaraguans. Every
detail seemed to become an issue Of
momentous significance. The hour of
voting, the method of registration and
the distance which watchers must keep
from the polls were all questions which
brought forth the most eloquent argyll
mentS from the native lawyers, de-
livered in rapid Spanish and embel-
lished with references to every imagin-
able book of law.
These questions had to be decided IN
one way or another, and the losing side
had q right of appeal-and the even
more formidable privilege of stirring up
dissatisfaction among the natives, and
perhaps in the United States, which
might have injured the success of the
entire election. Not unnaturally the
natives were looking for signs Of bad
faith and favoritism on the part of the
United States, and in the hands of the
natives lay the answer to the question
of whether or not fair election was
to be held
This was strange work for leather
neck" Strange work, too. for young
Americans, the overwhelming majority
of whom we're still in their twenties.
These men had not been selected be-
cause of special aptitude fer the work.
for there were virtually no men at all
who had had experience along these
lines. The primary basis of selection
was a knowledge of the Spanish Ian
guage and a good character. For long
months every one of these young men
was stationed in small tropical village,
a weeks journey by bull cart from the
nearest outpost. He was usually the
only white man. Every day he was
making decisions which might arouse
hostility ItStook courage of no small
G-deT-which enc es;r:css Of a Marine.