**Paquita** Yes they intend to finish it in two years, and declare war against the United States before the Panama Canal is completed.

**Thurston** *(Meditatively)* --"The Yellow Peril". And the worst of it is, they can do it. --(Angrily and aloud) --Yes, they can do it, but by God! they won't. Not if I can help it.

**Paquita** *(Alarmed)* --Oh, I am frightened at what I have told you, but I like the Americans so.

**Thurston** *(Smiling)* -- You like all Americans?

**Paquita** All that I know; but I don't know very many.

**Thurston** You are a dear little friend and a brave little girl.

**Paquita** That makes me happy; I want to be brave like the Yankee girls.

**Thurston** You do?

**Paquita** Yes, they go where they please, they dress like

-4-

they please and they say what they please, do they
not?

**Thurston** (*Laughing*) --There's no special place to go in Managua; you couldn't dress more becomingly; and what could you possibly want to say?

**Paquita** (*Passionately*) --If I were an American girl I would say ----- I would say to you that I love you. That I love you because you love so differently from Nicaraguan men. They make dolls of women, they flatter them so, they lie to them so. But you love so carelessly, so disdainfully, so cruelly; and so, you make me your slave.

**Thurston** (*Seizing her hands*) --Paquita! Paquita! do you know what you are saying?

**Paquita** (*Demurely, with down-cast eyes as though waiting for him to take her in his arms and kiss her*) -- Yes.

**Thurston** This is more serious than I anticipated. (*Philosophying*) --As an honorable man, I can't do it----- (*Looking at her*) --Yet, as a quasi-diplomat, I'd

-5-

be justified. --(Makes motion as though to kiss her, refrains) --No, I must not. --(Looks at her again) --Am I a philosopher or a fool? ----A fool, I guess. --(Suddenly kisses her. She sings softly as though in a dream)

SONG "I DREAMED THAT I WAS A ROSE."

(At close of song enter Guzman with Marion, both in carnival dress, but recognizable; they remain a little up stage. Guzman points out Thurston and Paquita not to Marion. Thurston and Paquita are aware of their presence.)

Thurston I feel as though I'd robbed an orphan.

"QUARTETTE."

ACT SECOND.

SCENE: Night. Esplanade on Lake shore at Nanagua. View of Lake in background. The smoking volcano, Mombtombo, seen from middle of Lake.

OPENING CHORUS.

(Exit chorus laughing, throwing confetti, general gaiety. Paquita remains. Enter Thurston.)

Thurston You didn't need to tell me you would be dressed like a dancing girl; I should have known you by those wonderful eyes.

Paquita Ah senor, you must not tell me such things or I shall believe them.

Thurston You don't need to *believe* them; you already

-2-

know them.

Paquita Yes, but it's nicer to have someone make you
believe them.

Thurston It's too bad, our conversation was interrupted
this morning.

Paquita Yes, I had lots of other things to tell you.

Thurston What was it you were saying when---

Paquita Oh, I was asking you if Miss Breeze had beauti-
ful eyes too.

Thurston (Slightly annoyed) --No, we had passed that; you
were speaking of President Guzman.-- (Both look
around cautiously.)

Paquita Ah yes, I was telling you why the President didn't
want you to finish your railroad.

Thurston Yes, yes, that was it.

Paquita And I was going to tell you that he has already
taken steps to cancel your contract and confiscate
the road.

Thurston The devil, you say!---I beg your pardon, senorita.

-2-

Paquita No hay de que, senor.

Thurston This is Spanish wit against Yankee grit; we'll see which wins.

Paquita Oh, I hope you will win!

Thurston Hope? I know I'll win! Do you suppose "Uncle Sam" is going to allow a little comic opera President like that to hold up an American company and take away real money? Not much.

Paquita But that's what President Guzman has been doing, and soon he will be in a better position to continue doing it.

Thurston How so?

Paquita Do you know why these Japanese Commissioners are here?

Thurston I know why they say they're here; but I have my suspicions.

Paquita Well, they have drawn a secret treaty to finish the old Nicaraguan canal.

Thurston What!

-3-

Paquita Yes they intend to finish it in two years, and declare war against the United States before the Panama Canal is completed.

Thurston (meditatively) --"The Yellow Peril". And the worst of it is, they can do it. --(Angrily and aloud) --Yes, they can do it; but by God! they won't. Not if I can help it.

Paquita (Alarmed) --Oh, I am frightened at what I have told you, but I like the Americans so.

Thurston (Smiling) -- You like all Americans?

Paquita All that I know; but I don't know very many.

Thurston You are a dear little friend and a brave little girl.

Paquita That makes me happy; I want to be brave like the Yankee girls.

Thurston You do?

Paquita Yes, they go where they please, they dress like

-4-

Thurston (Laughing) --There's no special place to go in Managua; you couldn't dress more becomingly; and what could you possibly want to say?

Paquita (Passionately) --If I were an American girl I would say ----- I would say to you that I love you. That I love you because you love so differently from Nicaraguan men. They make dolls of women, they flatter them so, they lie to them so. But you love so carelessly, so disdainfully, so cruelly; and so, you make me your slave.

Thurston (Seizing her hands) --Paquita! Paquita! do you know what you are saying?

Paquita (Demurely, with down-cast eyes as though waiting for him to take her in his arms and kiss her) -- Yes.

Thurston This is more serious than I anticipated. (Philosophying) --As an honorable man, I can't do it.----- (Looking at her) --Yet, as a quasi-diplomat, I'd

"QUARTETTE."

(ACT III.)

Introductory lines for "FUNNY LITTLE MAN", etc.

Guzman (To Kogi)-- Well, senor Kogi, what do you think of life in the tropics?

Kogi Oh, better you ask me, what you I think of
love in the tropics.

Uchi Ya! ya! ya!

Guzman (Looking at Uchi in surprise)-- I can see
that you are a live one, but has senor Uchi
also te eye for te ladies?

Kogi (With wink)-- Ha! Kogi very sly old bow-bow.

Guzman How do you like te Nicaraguan senoritas?

Kogi They are so pleasing, we like two honorably
beautiful ladies of your country to be included
in canal treaty.

Uchi Ya, for same price.

Guzman (Laughing)-- Which two.--(Kogi and Uchi
choose two pretty girls and come down for
song and dance.)--

Song and Dance

"THE FUNNY LITTLE MAN FROM SUNNY JAPAN."

(Japanese Commissioners with two Girls.)

(B)

-1-

A funny little man

From sunny Japan

Came over the western sea,

where he met a maid

And to her he said,

"You look pretty good to me;

Oh, come to my island home, oh do!

And these are the things I'll give to you:

A jinrik'sha with a coolie man,

A silk kimona and an ivory fan,

I'll dress you up, if you'll only come,

In a big chrysanthemum-mum-mum,"

And he continued to hum-hum-hum.

CHORUS

(Continued)

1-

Kogi Ha! Uchi very sly old bow-bow.

Kogi They are so pleasing to us that we like two
honoring beautiful ladies of your country
to be included in canal treaty.

Uchi Ya! at same price.

Guzman (Laughing) --Which two? --(Kogi and Uchi choose
two pretty girls and come down for song and
dance.)

SONG

"FUNNY LITTLE MAN FROM SUNNY JAPAN"

(Exit Chorus.)

Kogi (Poetically to girl) --Come with me down by
beach, where we will sit under moonlight,
listening to agreeable talking, before the eye
a glass wine, enjoying beautiful sea landscape.

Uchi (To girl) --Ya! ya! --(They exit)

Guzman Enjoy yourselves. It's all in te treaty.

-2-

(Exit all except Guzman and Plumas.)

**Guzman** Well, Doctor, how do things look to you?

**Plumas** Everything always looks to me just as it looks to you, Your Excellency.

**Guzman** (Rubbing hands) --Everything ees going Guzman's way. Te Japanese Commissioners, by te generous use of champahne are my slaves; te canal treaty ees signed; proceedings begun to confiscate Thoorstone's railroad and te concessioners have just paid in te nice leetle sum of one hundred and fifty tousant dollairs. --(Sighing) --Ah, I am lucky in everything but lof.

**Plumas** Your Excellency is a man of destiny. Luck will never desert you. But---the concessioners are threatening to appeal to their governments if they don't get their contracts.

**Guzman** Bah! They won't be te first to appeal; but let them haf ter contracts.

**Plumas** Señor Thurston was talking with the American Consul to-day about the railroad case.

**Buzman** Again Bah! Don't teese peoples know ter ees such

-3-

a thing as a Monore Doctrine?

**Plumas** Old Bruto is dissatisfied; he wants his back pay, and his salary raised.

**Guzman** Salary! He ees a general in my army; isn't tat enough?

**Plumas** It doesn't seem to be.

**Guzman** Well, eef he says anything more about salary I'll bestow on him te Guzman crose; tat ought to satisfy him.

**Plumas** You have already given him the cross once.

**Guzman** Well, I gif him again te cross; I gif him te double cross.

**Plumas** Your Excellency knows.

**Guzman** You look after te Concessioners, I'll take care of Bruto and all te rest of tees beezness.
(Exit Guzman. Enter Concessioners.)

**Ger. Con.** (In determined manner) --Meester Minister, we come again to see vat abouſt dose contracts.

**Plumas** (Smiling) --Ah, gentlemen, the contracts are all

-6-

Ger. Con. You haf already done for us.

Guzman (Smiling) --But ees tere nothing more I can
do for you?

Ger. " No, py dam, and ve von't stand for vat you
haf alreaty did.

Guzman Why are you gentelmen gifing te invitation
of feet-ball players. --(To Ger. Con.)--
Mr. Center Rush, explain te trouble.

Ger. " Ve haf gif you one hündret and fifty tousant
dollars, you promise us some valuable concess-
ions, here you gif us de exclusive right toimport
fur coats and ice skates and steam radiators
into Nicaragua; vat beezness can ve make mit
dot?

Guzman And you call yourself business mens. Ca! Don't
you know te scientists say te climate of te whohe
world ees to change? Maybe we haf another glacial
period. Then who knows what te climate of Nic-
aragua will be? With those concessions, my friends
you are dealing in futures, beeg futures.

Chorus
of Con. We'll not stand for this swindle! We'll inform

-7-

our respective governments.

**Guzman** (Laughing) --Inform your respective governments,
inform them; they need information.

**Cons.** You beware!

**Guzman** I beware and you be damned! I do not fear your
collective respective nor your collective gov-
ernments; I stand on te safe side of te Monroe
Doctrine.

**Ger. Con.** Amazed) --You stand on de safe side of de Monroe
Doctrine? Vy I just saw you chumping up und down
on de Monroe Doctrine.

**Guzman** Ah, my friends, I peety you. I fear you can never
understand diplomacy as she flourishes in te tropics.
I curse te Monroe Doctrine through my Minister of
Interior and I bless eet through my Minister of
Foreign Affairs; I get results both ways, at
home and abroad.

**Ger. Con.** Meester President, ve go, but ve vill return, how-
ever. Ve know a ting or two, and ven ve come
back, ve vill come to get de goods.

(Exit Concessioners.)

-8-

**Guzman** Tat Monroe Doctrine ees a handy thing to haf around.

(Enter General Bruto and Army.)

**Guzman** General Bruto, what are you doing here with te army? Did I not tell you ter was a rumor of insurrection in te east? Did I not command you to take te field and crush te insurgents? What you do here?

CHORUS --- "WE STRIKE!"

**Guzman** Now ees where Guzman te orator has a job. --(To army, striking orators pose, starting tearfully and working up to elimax.)-- My fellow compatriots! My brothers in arms. It grieves my heart to hear such sentiments from the invincible legions which I haf so often led. Of course, you were invincible because I led you, but it grieves my heart nevertheless.

Here te country stands besieged. She sees te greedy eyes of te Powers of Europe on te front, and she felt feels te resounding whack of te beeg

-9-

stick on te rear, while above te Monroe Doctrine
hovers like a blackbird of night, his gleaming
eyes like lurid lightenings piercing te silurian
darkness, and his talons like te tentacles of te
slimy deep, tossed by tempestuous winds and shroud-
ed in gloomy clouds threatening to shut out forever
te dazzling sunlight of Liberty from this our
tropical paradise, as eet ees reaching it's zenith
in te----------

Army (With great enthusiasm) -- Viva la patria!!!

Guzman (Smiling) --Haf you forgotten te bloody victories
through which I led you?

Army (Loudly) --No!!U!

Guzman With La Patria tearing at her breast, will you
lay down your arms?

Army (More loudly) --No!!!

Guzman Will you not strike back te proud oppressor's
hand?

Army (Automatically) --No'..!!

Guzman Will you not stand like another hand at another

-10-

Thermopylae?

**Army** (Automatically) --No!!.

**Guzman** Hey, what ees eet you say? --- General Bruto step forward. --(Bruto steps forward)--- For your constant loyalty I am going to pay you------
(Puts hand in pocket. Bruto smiles, army brightens up.) --I am going to pay you --------
by bestowing upon you te Guzman Cross. (Takes out Cross)

**Bruto** (Disappointed) (Takes from pocket half dozen Guzman Crosses.) --I decline with thanks. If Your Excellency will advance me thirty dollars on these we'll call the whole thing square and I'll take the field.

**Guzman** (In a rage, still holding Cross in hand.) --You decline te Guzman Cross! Do you remember what you were when I took you up? An ox-driver, just a plain ox attendant. Met was I tat made a man of you, that loaded you down with honors and gold lace. Bruto you are an ingrate.

**Bruto** I, an ingrate? You will live to regret those hasty words. --(To army) -- Presto! --(The army

-11-

comes to attention.)-- Change! --(Each man except Col. Castro, takes off his coat, turns it inside out, then outs it on again; thus changing uniform of army from blue to red.)-- Quien Viva?

**Army** Viva la revolucion!!I

**Bruto** Forward march! --(Exit soldiers to last strain of "WE STRIKE". Col. Castro remains. Guzman stamps and rages, commanding soldiers to remain.)

**Guzman** (Quieting down. Plaintively.) --Et tu Bruto. (With old air and determination.) --Now ees where Guzman te soldier has a job. --(To Castro)-- (Castro steps forward.)-- I've got to get rid of this Cross. I bestow eet on you, and make you Commander-in-Chief of te Army. Ter ees leetle of eet left, but we had te money, and we had te arms and ammunition, with those we make an army in twenty-four hours. So get busy. Call out te reserves and arm them. The first thing to do ees capture Bruto. --(In dramatic whisper) And I want señor Thoorstone to wake up in prison.

**Castro** I understand, Your Excellency.

Male Chorus by Army.

"WE STRIKE!"

**BRUTO** Mister President I'm here to represent the Army.
(Very low notes)

**PRIVATE** The Army. --(High notes.)--

**CHORUS** Oh, Honorable Mister President Our Chief is here
to represent The Army.

**PRIVATE** The Army. --(High notes)--

**GUZMAN** It seems to me there's something doing,
Perhaps a coup d'état is brewing.

**BRUTO** The Army I'm commanding
You see before you standing
On a strike!

**GUZMAN** A strike?

**PRIVATE** A strike!

**GUZMAN** Bring me the code and let me see
If in it any law there be
Which gives permission for anything like
The army going on a strike.

(Continued)

-2-

There's no such law, or I could quote it;
I know the whole code, for I wrote it.

## CHORUS

Codes and laws we're not here to discuss,
Codes and laws they cut no ice with us.
Listen! Listen!

WE strike! We strike!
But not for home or native land
Against no strange and tyrant hand,
Not for our altars and our fires,
No zeal like that our stroke inspires,
But yet we strike, mark what we say
We strike! We strike, for bigger pay.

So we'll not load a gun or pull a trigger
Until our salaries are somewhat bigger
We are the standing army, we,
And here's just where we stand, you see,
And we'll not move until we know
That we are going to get more dough.

(Continued)