Allen, Mark L.

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 The Knowledge Bank at The Ohio State University Ohio State Engineer   Title:  Why Not Nicaragua? Creators:  Allen, Mark L. Issue Date:  Apr-1929 Publisher:  Ohio State University, College of Engineering Citation:  Ohio State Engineer, vol. 12, no. 6 (April, 1929), 15, 24-26. URI:  http://hdl.handle.net/1811/34775  Appears in Collections: Ohio State Engineer: Volume 12, no. 6 (April, 1929)           T H E O H I O S T A T E E N G I N E E R 15WHY NOT NICARAGUA?By M. L. ALLEN, '31The recent disturbance in Nicaragua hascaused a number of American citizens to wonderjust what motives influenced our government tohandle the situation as it did. Quelling a revoltdoes not necessitate such a large expeditionaryforce as was sent down, but keeping peace in anySpanish-American country does.The United States in such instances must pro-tect her nationals and their interests. She ismorally bound by the Monroe Doctrine to policeSpanish-America. We attempt to keep peace inthe Western Hemisphere on our own volition, be-cause we realize that, if we do not, some Europeanpower will seize the opportunity to establish it-self on the continent of either North or SouthAmerica. Witness the Haitian and Dominicanincidents. To keep from having a German orFrench occupation under her nose in the Carib-bean, the United States paid off the debts of thesetwo republics, and has undertaken, evidently withsuccess, to place these two miniature republics ontheir feet.In the Nicaraguan incident, this country hadsimilar reasons for butting in, but a more vitalissue was at stake. The purchased rights forconstructing a canal through the republic werethreatened, and the State Department decided tocalm things down with a contingent of Leather-necks.Shortly after the Civil War, the idea of build-ing a canal through the Western continents toconnect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans was sug-gested. All are acquainted with the hardshipsthat sailing men of those days encountered round-ing Cape Horn. A voyage from the Atlantic tothe Pacific seaboard or the Far East was alengthy as well as a dangerous enterprise. Con-gress authorized a commission to consider andreport on the matter.Four possible locations for such a project wereapparent. The first to be considered wasthe route across the isthmus of Tehuante-pec in Mexico. This route would place theproject close to the eastern ports of thiscountry; but two features of the terrain,high mountains and long distance, in com-parison with other locations, caused thecommission to disregard this route.The second route proposed was the Nic-araguan. Here, as indicated in the illus-tration, nature provides the Rio San Juan,110 miles long, proceeding from LakeNicaragua. The river course lies in landhaving the extremely gentle slope of onefoot per mile. This factor, when consid-ered along with the facilities offered bythe lake, which is 120 miles long and from40 to 60 miles wide, makes this route themost feasible, as well as the best whenconsidered from the important angle ofcost.These two bodies of water, togetherwith Lake Managua, would provide a nat-ural waterway, entailing but little exca-APRIL, 1929vating to reach the Pacific. The large quantityof water necessary to operate canal locks couldbe furnished from these natural lakes.The third route, through the isthmus ofPanama, was also a good location, but longer thanthe Nicaraguan, as well as being much fartherfrom the United States and located in a tropicalclimate. The fourth and last route could not beconsidered. This lay along the Atrato River inthe republic of Colombia. The river, to be sure,offered a natural waterway, but to connect it withthe Pacific would mean to cut through one of theranges of the Cordilleras, which reach 17,000 feetin elevation.The commission reported in favor of theNicaraguan route, as did the three commissionsfollowing. Congress could not decide definitelyon a plan of action until the eary part of the newcentury.At that time, Zelaya was president of Nicara-gua. He was antagonistic to the United Statesand refused to negotiate over the proposed canal.The vital need of the artificial waterway was ap-parent even to Congress, and negotiations wereinstituted with the republic of Colombia for thePanama route, Panama being at that time aprovince of the South American country. Colom-bia greeted the overtures of the United States inthe same manner as did Zelaya of Nicaragua.Some well-known high-handed work on our partinduced the Panamanians to "listen to reason,"with the result that Panama declared itself a re-public, handed the canal rights over to Uncle Samfor a handsome stipend, and went on its waywhistling merrily, despite the fact that almostone-half of its soil had been leased to the Colossusof the North. Colombia has since been paid 15million dollars for balm. Needless to say, theColombians are satisfied.(Continued on Page 24)24 T H E O H I O S T A T E E N G I N E E RN I C A R A G U A(Continued from Page 15)It is well known that in Spanish America theparty that is in power really is in power. Zelayawas a Liberal and the Conservatives were out,both out of power and out of the country. TheConservatives fomented a little revolution, feel-ing the need of freeing the country from theabominable Liberals as well as anticipating thejoy of granting the United States the canal rightsand collecting the money. Accordingly, the eastcoast of Nicaragua broke out in revolt early in1912. Zelaya dispatched 800 troops down theRio San Juan to quell the disturbance. TwoAmerican mining engineers, Groce and Cannon,had thrown in their lot with the revolutionistsand decided to delay the troops. To do this, theyconstructed and sent on its way a floating mine.The mine went off a few feet from the troopship,killing but a few of the Federals. Groce andCannon t~ok to the jungles, but were forced outby natural conditions three days later. Theywere cap' ured by the Federals and later executed,despite the protests of the American consul.Here was situation apparently made to order.The Americans intervened, a case of threatenednationals; resistance was offered and in the en-suing guerrilla warfare some 2000 Nicaraguanswere killed, the principal towns captured, andZelaya went into exile.Adolfo Diaz was immediately made presidentby the Conservatives and the Bryan-Chamorrotreaty, selling the canal rights to the UnitedStates for three millions was ratified by both gov-ernments. To discourage further outbreaks, agroup of 110 Marines was maintained in Nicara-gua as a Legation Guard.All has gone on peacefully since then. Ameri-can claims were paid out of the three million, thecurrency of the country stabilized so that eventoday the gold peso of Nicaragua is as good as the(Continued on Page 26)APRIL, 1929T H E O H I O S T A T E E N G I N E E R 25Steel SheetsTHAT GIVE MAXIMUM RUST-RESISTANCE! gHighest quality steel sheets for the engi-neering, railway, industrial and generalconstruction fields. This Company isthe largest and oldest manufacturer ofBlack and Galvanized Sheets, KeystoneRust-resisting Copper Steel Sheets, Tinand Terne Plates adapted to all knownuses. Sold by leading metal merchants.The products of this Com-pany represent highest stand-ards of quality and service.Made right—sold right.CONTRIBUTOR TO 'SHEET STEEL STEEL SHEETS for Every PorsDISTRICT SALES OFFICES:Chicago, Denver, Detroit.Cincinnati, New Orleans,New York, Philadelphia.Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.Write nearest Sales Officefor information and booklets.American Sheet ami Tin Plate CompanyGeneral Offices: Frick Building, PITTSBURGH, PA.SUBSIDIARY OFUNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION 3PRINCIPAL SUBSIDIARY MANUFACTURING COMPANIES: x , -DependableService IAMERICAN BRIDGE COMPANY CARNEGIE STEEL COMPANY ILLINOIS STEEL COMPANY T H E LORAIN STEEL COMPANYAMERICAN SHEET AND T I N PLATE COMPANY CYCLONE FENCE COMPANY MINNESOTA STEEL COMPANY TENNESSEE COAL, IRON A R. R. COMPANYAMERICAN STEEL AND W I R E COMPANY FEDERAL SHIPBUILDING AND DRY DOCK COMPANY NATIONAL T U B E COMPANY UNIVERSAL PORTLAND C E M E N T COMPANYPacific Coast Distributors—United States Steel Products Company, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Honolulu. Export Distributors—United States Steel Products Company, New York CityFor better foodServed in pleasantSurroundingsEat at theRose MarieShoppeWhere Delicious FoodIs Delightfully ServedThere is alycos orToy/orTemperatureInstrumentfor everypurposeTaylor Instrument CompaniesTemperatureInstrumentsINDICATING - RECORDING - CONTROLLINGAPRIL, 192926 T H E O H I O S T A T E E N G I N E E RN I C A R A G U A(Continued from Page 24)American dollar; roads were built, and sanita-tion introduced. All the benefits that come withan American colony have made Nicaragua one ofthe most prosperous of the Central American re-publics.Until the recent disturbances, it was not fully-realized that the Conservatives, who had beenin power since the original intervention, are con-siderably in the minority. The Liberals werekept out of office by the simple expedients knownonly to the Latins. Revolt broke out, and theUnited States, knowing that her treaty would beabrogated if the Liberals got into power, stoppedthe uprising.Since then, however, a Liberal has been madepresident. We are obviously on pleasant termswith the Nicaraguans, at least since PresidentHoover was amicably received by them. Ourcanal rights are still intact, despite the change ofparty.The Panama Canal is at present being operatedwithin 70 per cent of its capacity. The need ofanother canal is vital to our interests as a worldpower. Any damage done to Panama in eventof war would without a doubt separate the At-lantic and Pacific fleets and cause the downfall ofthe Navy, if not of the country.If this reason seems too far-fetched, considerthe fact that the fiery Nicaraguans may changetheir mind about letting us keep the 99-yearlease. However considered, the NicaraguanCanal should be constructed with all haste.

Why Not Nicaragua?

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Why Not Nicaragua?

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