Evening star., 1932-11-06
NICARAGUA IS CONDUCTING
NATIONAL ELECTION TODAY
Choice May Be Last to Be Made Under
Supervision of u. S. Marines if
Present Policy Stands.

| in electing Gen. Moncada President by
a substantial ma jority But immediate
| ly after the election, and while PTesi-
dent-elect Hoover was visiting the
country both political parties had re-
quested that the next presidential elec-
ton, four years thence, would be also
supervised by the United States. The
! Washington Government had agreed to
/; this, and, therefore, the last remnants
of United States interference in Mica
ragua could not be done away with un-
til after the 1882 election.
Neutrality Shown
Confronted with this difficulty, but
also firm in his decision to take the
United States, as fast as possible, out
I of Latin American politics, what Secre-
tary Stimson did was to begin gradual
withdrawal of the Marines leaving there
only the minimum required to conduct
the presidential election and complete
the instruction of the Nicaraguan Ma
tional Guard. He further promised TO
withdraw the last Marine from Nicara-
guam soil by January !. 1888. And in
the meantime he adopted an attitude
Of complete neutrality and almost indif-
ference toward Nicaraguan internal
politics.
This neutrality, this fairness Of the
State Department was put to test, not
long ago, when two special representa-
tiyes of President Moncada came TO
Washington to seek the Endorsement by
the United States Of Moncada's plans
to reform the Nicaraguan Constitution.
so as to permit his own reelection for
another term In dlplomatlcally
worded, but energetic communique, the
State Department declined to sanction
the suggestions advanced by President
Moncada's representatives, and made II
plain that it expected the electoral con-
test to take place, as scheduled, and
new Chief Executive inaugurated on the
1st of January next, according to the
provisions Of the present constitution.
The communique stressed the "ad-
mirable progress" which Nicaragua
made through the holding of free and
fair elections in 1923 and 1880. and &C.
clared that "the Secretary Of State be-
lieyes that the course of wisdom would
be to consolidate this progress and to
add another step to it through holding
!; the regular and normal elections as
scheduled in 1882"
Then, it added: Mr. Stimson's asso-
Citations in Nicaragua have been so in
innate in the past, and his interest is SO
enduring that he sincerely hopes that
the regular elections in November. II
held as scheduled. will advance the
republic one more step toward the goal
which all Nicaraguans and all friends
of Nicaragua desire-namely, toward
peace. order and stability"
The stand adopted by the State De-
; partment having killed the ambitious
plans Of President Moncada, period
of complicated. personalistic and often
bitter political maneuvering ensued in
. selecting the candidates who were 10
participate in the election. This was
particularly true of the Liberals who
had several aspirants for the honor
and who had to struggle with the an
tagonism of President Moncada, one of
, their own.
Turned to DIR. Sacasa.
Finally. after many compromises had
been successfully announced and dis
carded all Liberal candidates had to
give way to the name Of Dr.. Juan B.
Sacasa. the leader of the party during
: the latest civil war former Vice
President former Minister to Wash
ington and man of stainless public
2 record. DR. Sacasa appeared to have the
: overwhelming support of the LIBERAL
: masses of the country. He had many
5 serious rivals, experts in the art Of poll
] tics, to contend with, but in the end
popular sentiment was bound to prevail.
Even tTPSluellL MOIlCdUd. MS IOIl1leE
: friend and now his bittereSt contender,
: had to fall in line although his support
, of the Sacasa candidacy. even today. is
! doubted even more than that Of the
Roosevelt candidacy by Alfred E Smith
was here until a few days ago.
Opposing Senor Sacasa is DR.. Adolfo
. Diaz. twice President Of Nicaragua.
though the second time by force of
arms. 1t was under his second tenure
| nf ~ bat ha ;r,+1
! vention began, and this. for a long
time, gave the impression that Dr. Diaz
alone had the confidence of the State
Departments very important factor,
obviously, in Nicaraguan politics. This
! time, however this issue is out of the
contest, for DR.. Sacasa, during his stay
in Washington as Nicaraguan Minister
| for the past three years, has also gained
/ the sympathies Of the Washington gov
ernment Perhaps more SO than any
other Nicaraguan representative ever
did before
DR.. Diaz is supported by the Con-
servative party, and his friends say they
are confident over his victory. Press
reports, however, and the information
; of reliable Nicaraguans in this country
! give the impression that his friends are
; in the minority. Besides, the fact. re-
ported by local papers, that Dr. Diaz
Aido ~ OiII4SCu Vic OlIttu otdIbS d naval
: base at Fonseca Bay if elected-al-
J though this country never requested
such concession during the present cleo
toral campaign-indicates that DR.. Diaz
himself is not quite so confident as his
friends
Although as a rule it is extremely
difficult to advance a prediction in a
: presidential election, and particularly so
when the election happens to be in
| Latin American country, it is not VEN
turesome to say that Dr. Sacasa seems
to have on his side the support of the
Nlcaraguan masses. And, as have said
In previous article, the program an
; nounced by the State Departmental
withdraw all Marines from Nicaragua
alter the election-makes it highly I'M
portant that man with strong back
ing OF the real people of Nicaragua not
only OF the political or official organiza-
tions. shall be elected today to head the
destinies Of that very much-tried Gen.
tral American state.