THE NEXT UNPLEASANTNESS

Sharing public interest with the possibility that a professional baseball game was thrown eight years ago is the present fact that something of importance is going to happen in Nicaragua. It is not easy to discover what that something is.

From the journal of opinion we can learn that American imperialism is trampling roughshod over the feelings of a nation. From another we can learn that the American marines are angels of law and order sent to protect lives and properties of our citizens and those of France, England and Italy.

From one source we hear that Diaz, head of the constitutional party, is the servile puppet of United States business interests. From another, he is the white hope of law and order. So also, Sacasa, liberal leader, is said to represent "the pee-pul" of Nicaragua in their fight against United States influence and to be a man of the highest integrity and sincerity. From another angle he is probably a Bolshevist agent, whose chief motive for attacking the established power is hope of graft or desire for revenge.

But whether one takes the stand that in interfering in Central America the Coolidge administration, is stretching the Monroe Doctrine to the breaking point, or that Nicaragua is in a tangle that only American Marines can unravel, one thing seems not impossible, War with Mexico may follow. On the Atlantic Coast Admiral Latimer is landing arms and men to pro up Diaz. On the Pacific the Calles government is indulging in a quiet little filibustering in favor of Sacasa.

The Nicaraguan revolution's cannot but increase the friction between Washington and Mexico. Relations are strained now. In a few months we may not unreasonably expect a glorious struggle to make the world safe for the Standard Oil Company.