Evening star., 1947-05-05
Letters to The Star
MIR. Ickes Answers Complaint
From Ambassador Sacasa

Mr.. Ickes Answers Complaint
From Ambassador Sacasa
70 the Editor Of The Star.
In q letter published In The Star Of
April 25, DR., Guillermo SeViIla sacasa,
Ambassador Of Nicaragua In Washing
ton, takes me to task for certain refer
ences which made to the recent Mica
rauguan election In my column Of April
81
In 1t, the Ambassador tells me that
have been sill-informed. and .mis-led
by some interested party might point
out that DR.. Sevilla Sacasa, himself, as
somoza's envoy to the United States and
ais q close relative by marriage, by no
stretch OF the imagination can be con-
sidered a disinterested party In any mat
ter pertaining to the Somoza regime.
The Ambassador chides me for saying
that Government Party adherents voted
first in Ell Viejo and then were hurried
to Managua, the capital, where they
voted again." He says that these two
communities are Separated by q dis
tance Of many kilometers and
that there is neither q highway nor air
service connecting them" He does adj
init, however, that there is railroad be-
tween these two points. Actually, voter
could have been at the polls in Ell Viejo
from am. on, when they opened. leave
Ell Viejo by train by $3.50 am. and be In
Managua, about so miles distant, by 1880
pm. In time to vote again. These are
the departure and arrival times and the
distance that appear on the timetables
Of the Pacific Railroad Of Nicaragua.
The Ambassador adds that all voters
we're duly identified at the polls. By
whom? According to American corre-
spondents who covered the elections, the
opposition was permitted to have
watchers, but the watchers were denied
the right to challenge registrants, pro-
test Irregularities or take part In the
election proceedings. In short, all Of the
identifying Of voters was in the hands of
government partisans.
It is true, as the Ambassador points
out, that the opposition won In Managua.
I did not say that it had not. But one
of the reasons for this opposition victory
in the capital may have been the pres
ence of American newspapermen and
other neutral observers.
Two Liberal Parties.
The Ambassador insists that the
Liberal Party has enjoyed a majority in
Nicaragua, $50 that no one can be
surprised at the defeat Of DR.. Aguado,
who was supported by the Conserva-
tive Party" might ask to what Liberal
Party he refers, because there are two in
Nicaraugua-the rump Liberal Nation
alist Party which supports Gen. Somoza,
and the Liberal Independent Party
which was denied the right to appear
on the ballot after 1t had collected more
than $4,000 signatures on petition to
be recognized as a political party? And
this is not figure to be shifted at, in a
country where fewer than 10000 went
to the polls.
It should also be noted that DR.. Aqua
do was the joint candidate Of the Lib
eral Independent and Conservative Par
ties, and not just the candidate Of the
Conservatives.
The Ambassador makes light Of the
cards distributed to voters who had sup
ported the government candidate. Those
cards bore the inscription II voted for
DR.. Arguello," and were to be shown to
employers on the following day. I
think that New York Times dis
patch on that point is of interest. 1t
reads, in part, "The most damning evi-
dence of the Government Party's tactics
was the distribution of orange cards to
every man who voted for DR.. Arguello
(the government candidate) The cards
bore the candidates picture and the
words, 7 voted for Arguello.' Obviously,
they could constitute political receipt
OF prize value for jobholders and favor
seekers"
I agree that the election was held on
the day provided by the Constitution
of Nicaragua, but I am not willing to
grant that Gen. Somoza had served
only six years-the term specified in
the Constitution. Actually, the general
had served ten years in all, from his
seizure of power by force in 1896 to the
election of 1947. And, since the Am
bassador seems so anxious to stress the
legality of the election, should like
to ask why returns were not published
for seven days after the election, when
the laws of Nicaragua require their
publication within "a hours of the clos
ing of the polls.
do not deny that DR.. Arguello may
be, in every respect, the estimable gentle
man that the Ambassador holds him out
to be. But Gen. Somoza himself publicly
boasted that he had hand-picked his
candidate, and he told an audience sew
eral days before the election that
whether you like 1t or not, DR.. Arguello
will be the next President Of Nicaragua"
The Ambassador rejoices that while
Gen. Somoza was absent from the
country, no strikes or political upris-
ings took place there That was to be
expected Gen. Somoza did not take
his National Guard with him, and he
has admitted that the National Guard
is his main support.
HAROLD L. ICKES.
Action Defended in Action
To the Editor of The Star:
In The Star recently there appeared
a report that people were shy of the
word action" in the name OF the
Women's Action Committe for Lasting