Evening star., 1932-01-17
born and reared under the god-mother-
ship Of the Nuns of the Assumption.

time, one often wonders where her free
moments are. But this diplomats wife
admits that she has them tucked away
somewhere among the "a hours of each
day. Else how could she ever do any
of the reading and sewing which she
manages somehow?
When you speak of sewing to Sonora
Sacasa you speak to one who knows IL
| as an art. Since the days when she
first learned needlecraft In the converts
she has been devoted to this pleasant
occupation. Although delicate embroid-
cries often owe their creation to her
deft needle, her skill Is not expended
! on them alone. She makes beautiful
dresses for her own daughters as well
/ as for a number OF poor children.
| II am very much interested In help
! ing the unfortunate" she said. one
| of the best ways I can do this Is to
make them clothes. I can assure you
! there has been great need for such
articles since the destructive earthquake
in Managua."
| When it comes to reading, Sonora de
Sacasa can scarcely do enough Tor her
| own satisfaction.
IT don't care for bridge" she avows.
while others are busy with cards after
dinner, I have a book near at hand to
which I turn for my evenings enjoy
ment."
Sonora de Sacasa prefers the novel
| to any other type of literature. she
reads French novels as readily as Eng
| lish. and mentioned Pierre Benoits
"L'Atlantide" as containing many OF
the characteristics she likes in this type
Of prose. :,
Il prefer the novel with the In
determinate ending" she said, men
| tioning a number of prize novels that
have claimed her attention. This type
has suspense and leaves something Tor
the imagination to toy with after IT Is
finished"
In her enjoyment of literature Sonora
| de SacaSa is ever mindful OF the 1act
! that her own Nicaragua was the plrtn-
place of the greatest pcet produced IN
| Central America, Ruben Darlo He IL
was who gave impetus to the romantic
poetry of Spanish literature. Although
! he lived for a time in Paris and SPAN,
where his works were touched unmls-
! tably by French influence, he returned
| to his native land in 1915 to die. DR..
Sacasa and his brother-in-law attended
the poet at the time Of his death.
| Nicaragua IS called the treasure
| box of Central America" Sonora de
Sacasa declared, turning to discussion
| OF ner ndJ1Ve ldIlu.
| Then she told of the treasures which
are to be found in this little triangular
country with its apex the Conseguina
Volcano, overlooking Fonesco Bay in the
Pacific, and its base extending for about
! 800 miles along the Atlantic Coast be-
tween Cape Gracias a Dios and San
Juan del Norte.
'Nicaragua's first treasure is her
beauty" she said. Gorgeous tropical
scenery in the lowlands. as well as the
miles of coffee and sugar plantations,
form a marked contrast to the majestic
volcanic peaks of the Cordilleras.
The second treasure of Nicaragua
! lies in her products. From the almost
inexhaustible forests come rubber,
mahogany, cedar and pine. The pla-
teaux provide generous pasturage for
| the large number of cattle raised for
their meat and hides.
In her mineral belts are found gold
and other precious metals" Sonora de
! Sacasa pointed out. Some one has said
that because of her precious metal
Nicaragua is part of the bright golden
wedge between two Americas.
And yet there is still third treasure
| in Nicaragua-her potential waterway.
In 1916" Sonora de Sacasa recalled,
"the Government of the United States
purchased from the Nicaraguan gov
ernment for S3,000,0 900 an option to
construct a canal through that coun-
try at any time within the next SO
years to join the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans At the present time the United
States Army Engineers are surveying
the possible route this canal is to fol-
| low"
Much of the groundwork for such
canal Is already present In natural
[A
She pointed to the fact that the great
lakes of Managua and Nicaragua al
ready penetrate the country from east
to west. BY extending the San Juan
River to join these lakes an almost
natural interoceanic canal would re-
suit.
Lake Nicaragua, the fourth largest
in the world, Is of such size that the
whole United States feet could be har-
bored in it," Sonora de Sacasa observed.
Two islands In it are formed by vol
| canoes"
But to proceed to Nicaraguas do
mestic situation.
"One of the biggest problems facing
my country today" declared this en-
voys wife earnestly, concerns the CIV
ing of financial aid to those who lost
everything in the great earthquake
The present administration Is also de-
voting every effort to the rebuilding Of
the capital city of Managua.
Another measure which Nicaragua is
valiantly striving to carry out is the
suppression of banditry In the northern
provinces"
This statement led to the perennial
question which has made more than
one politician stutter in attempting to
clear his stand on it-American inter-
vention. But Sonora de Sacasa ex-
pressed her opinion regarding it with
out hesitancy or fear Of being mis-
quoted.
THE United States Marines were
very helpful in obtaining free and fair
| elections in my country" she said in
| tribute to the conduct Of the Yankee
cohorts.
If one chooses to adopt Sonora de
| SacaSa's diplomatic attitude, one
reaches the inevitable conclusion that
! Uncle Sam has not been the merciless
| Shylock he often has been painted
And at least that's what one would al
ways like to believe about Nicaragua's
! big-hearted relative.