Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-20
BY CASTOR NERyAL.

/ III REPRESENTATIVES,
4 cada of Nicaragua had brought
to Washington was to constitute
a test case for the new Latin American
policy of the State Department.
Let us see why. In the first place,
what Ia 1t that We call the new Latin
| American policy of the State Depart
ment? 1t is the policy promised by
President Hoover during his good
will tour of South America and in
| augursted by Secretary Stimson-the
policy of non-intervention, equality,
respect for the sovereignty OF the
smaller Caribbean countries. and bet
ter understanding Of their domestic
politics That is. all the things which
previous administrations had over
looked: all the things which were
needed to correct past errors and re-
gain the lost goodwill Of the Latin
Americans.
1t is the policy found in the State
Departments restatement of the
Monroe Doctrine in its original mean
ing, deprived of all corollaries and
capricious interpretations under which
Intervention and other misdeeds we're
practiced in the past.
1t is the policy seen in the State
Departments reyersion to the old
Jeffersonian principle of recognition
Of revolutionary governments. which is
only q recongnition Of the sovereignty
Of the Latin American peoples and their
right to choose their own governments
Refusal to NEEDLE.
1t Is the policy evidenced by the
departments constant refusal to med
die In the internal quarrels Of some of
the Latin republics in the last four
years, even when American interests
were endangered, as in the Cuban,
Honduran and Salvadoran revolutions.
1t is the policy contained in
Secretary Stimson's Nicaraguan an
| nouncement of last year, in which
he warned Americans endangered by
rebel activities to withdraw from the
interior Of Nicaragua and not to expect
other armed protection than that
afforded by the Nicaraguan forces and
the organized local government.
1t is the policy embodied in the
gradual withdrawal of Marines from
Haiti and Nicaragua, and Secretary
Stimson's promise that the last one of
them will leave Nicaraguan soil after
the next presidential election.
1t is, finally. the policy evidenced by
the reluctance of the State Depart
ment to further interfere with the
domestic affairs of the Latin Ameri-
can republics, which has resulted in
the failure of repeated intervention
istic moves by Cubans and Panamans
in the last four years.
All these acts, quite different from
the practice followed by previous
administrations, have been indicating,
first, that there is today a better con-
ception of the Political sovereignty of
the Latin American nations in the
State Department, and second that
the Government of the United States
is finally determined not to interfere
with their internal political activities.
Much Applause For U. s.
The realization of these two con-
illusions by the Latin Americans has
already gained much applause for
Uucle Sam on the other side of the
Rio Grande. OF course, to clear up
the misunderstanding and to amend
entirely the faults committed in a
century of inter-American relations,
more than four years of the right
attitude are needed. But, even If very
slowly, gradually the new Latin
American policy CT the State Depart
ment is giving fruit. and winning back
the goodwill lost by the Roosevelts,
Knoxes, wilson's and Coolidges.
All these gains. all this prestige which
the State Department has been labo-
riouSly building up for the last four
years in the eyes of Latin America,
/ was menaced a few days ago by the
endeavors of two self-styled Nicara-
guam representatives. Claiming to
have the support of two contending
political parties-which they did not
they attempted to drag the United
States into new domestic political
ooh he 80 vx-Ini oh
would be difficult to ascertain.
AS these lines were being written the
two confidential Nicaraguan delegates
were sounding out State Department
officials as to the possible favor with
which the United States would look
upon certain plans of the men at
present in the government Of Nicara-
qua. That is, they were trying to
secure the support of the State Depart
ment, so as to be able to tell the
masses back home that such plans had
the sympathy of Uncle Sam. No one
familiar with Central American politics
vii! underestimate the value of such
support. Besides, in this particular
case the aid which the State Depart
ment could lend was somewhat more
than moral. The Nicaraguan repre-
| sentatives favored the longer stay of
United States Marines in Nicaraguan
territory to permit the peaceful sppn-
cation-should I say the imposition
CT those plans upon the Nicaraguan
people.
Therein lay the first danger. The
Nicaraguan delegates wanted the main
tenance of United States armed forces
in Nicaragua because they knew the
unpopularity Of their plans and
probably the impossibility of carrying
them out without the strict preserva-
ton Of order by foreign troops. There
WINGED Of the ACCESSIBILITY Of those
plans, and willing to cooperate in
their fulfllment, the Marines were to
stay in Nicaragua. Obviously, this
would have undone all the goodwill
| recently created and left very little of
the new Latin American policy of the
State Department
From the insistence of their spon-
sors in keeping the Marines in Nicara-
qua, and from the public indignation
evineed throughout Central America,
1t Is not difficult to deduce that the
plans which were submitted last week
for the consideration of the State
Department were far from popular
with the Nicaragllan people.
Apparently for the purpose of
effecting certain electoral reforms but
no doubt with other yelled intentions
actually in mind, the plans called for
the converting of constitutional
assembly to be, held on. or before, the
date fixed for the presidential election
| next October. Although the real aims
Of such AN assembly have been kept
more or less disguised, the prevailing
opinion in Central American circles is.
as have said before, that the Con-
stitutional Assembly would be asked to
alter the constitution so as to permit
the reelection. of President Moncada
or at least the extension of his regime.
which Genes to an end next December.
Vnta~a-k - NKo~noS