Evening star., 1946-03-07
U. S. Precedent Seen
In Demand to Spain
Policy Was Set Up by Wilson 50
Years Ago, Says Writer
By David Laurence

Years Ago, Says Writer
By David Laurence
The demand of the United States,
Great Britain and France that Gen.
Franco give up his dictatorship in Spain
has aroused some discussion here as
to whether sovereign nations may inter-
fere in the affairs OF other sovereign
nations and tell them who shall rule.
But an examination of the precedents
shows that the three countries were
following a policy set up by President
Woodrow Wilson just about 80 years ago.
The incident is important because some
day soon Col. Peron, If elected in Argen-
tina, may be asked to 60, too.
Many Americans who read the news
papers today were not yet born when
President Wilson told the world that
Victoriano Huerta, who was President
OF Mexico in 1918, not only must get out
OF Office but must consent to bind him
self not to be a candidate for election
as President Of the republic" in the
election which was subsequently to be
held.
The slogan "Huerta must 70" was
heard often in those days In Washing
ton, but the dictator below the Rio
Grande refused to 60 and managed to
involve himself in further difficulties
with the United States which later led
to the seizure of Vera Cruz by our Navy.
Note Sent to Embassies.
Late in November, 1918, the American
Government sent to the various lega-
tons and embassies in Washington q
note which read in part as follows:
"Usurpations like that of Gen. Huerta
menace the peace and development of
America as nothing else could -.
1t is the purpose of the United States
therefore to discredit and defeat such
usurpations whenever they occur. The
present policy of the Government of the
United States is to isolate Gen. Huerta
entirely; to cut him off from foreign
sympathy and aid and from domestic
credit, whether moral or material. and
force him out. ."
In another note which was sent to
the Mexican government through Mr..
Wilson's special ambassador, also in 1918,
the United States Government explained
It's action in demanding the custer of
Huerta by the following statement:
The present situation in Mexico Is
incompatible with the fulfllment of in,
ternational obligations on the part of
Mexico, with the civilized DEVELOPMENT
OF Mexico herself, and with the main
tenance OF tolerable political and eco
nomlc conditions in Central America"
The Washington Government offered
to play part in the election and in the
setting up of an interim government.
just as has been offered this week to
Spain. 1t will be noted that the note
sent to Spain uses virtually the same
grounds for international intervention.
1t reads in part:
so long as Gen. Franco continues
In control OF Spain, the Spanish people
cannot anticipate full and cordial asso-
citation with those nations of the world
winch have, by common effort, brought
defeat to German Naziism and Italian
Fascism which aided the present Span
ish regime in its rise to power and after
which the regime was patterned"
Uruguayan Policy.
The doctrine is expressed in much
the same way as the policy proposed by
the Uruguayan government recently,
which made the point that internal
abuses create international problems
and lead to international friction. When
this occurs, it is argued, there is justi-
flcation for Kidding a people of their
dictator and OF the conditions which
can provoke international trouble.
A parallel situation exists todav In
Argentina. The Nazi influence has kept
Col. Peron in power and is irving to
elect him. When the results of the
balloting are officially known, 1t NAV
be that foreign governments will be
asked to join in notifying Argentina
that her new ruler cannot be recognized
and that the Argentine people must find
some other solution. It is most unfor-
tunate that the Washington Govern
ment issued its recent blue book" alone
and did not take joint action with
other governments-a method now be-
ing utilized in the case Of Spain.
once the election results are revealed,
the time will be opportune for joint
consultations. 1t seems improbable that
there can be the full and cordial asso-
citation" with other countries as long
as Col. Peron-an ally and tool of Nazi-
ism-remains in power. The note to
Franco will doubtless be the precedent
for the same kind of demand on Argen-
tina, which country cannot be per-
mitted to be used as springboard or
base for future Nazi operations In this
hemisphere.
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