Deep in the Central American bush, a rebel leader put forth the credo of El Chipote: "Death is but a moment of discomfort, not to be taken seriously." El Chipete, Nicaraguan slang for "tough guy", was the name of a mountain stronghold and the description of its dauntless commander, General Cesar Augusto Sandino. Bearing the names of emperors of old, and living in the region of the Mayan empire of fabulous wealth, he became the arch-enemy of modern imperialism.

Fired with the patriotic zeal of Mazzini, Sandino devoted himself to the cause of Nicaraguan liberty. When American Devil Dogs came to protect the property of capitalist adventurers, he told it to the Marines with bullets, writing bloody pages in one of the most sordid chapters in American imperialism. For five years Sandino led a band of ragged followers in guerilla warfare as Supreme Chief of the Army of Defenders of the National Sovereignty of Nicaragua. "God and our mountains fight for us," he told his hero-worshipping troops. The Marines questioned the divine nature of his assistance, but they were sure of his skill in mountain fastnesses. For five years they sought to capture him, bombing him from airplanes, attempting to storm his retreats. The rebel chieftain who eluded five thousand Marines, who rejoiced when American intervention was withdrawn, now lies dead at the hands of assassins, killed not as a soldier but as the leader of a peaceful agricultural community.

Sandino was one of the most colorful personalities of Central American history. The man who set up a government of his own in the wilderness, who ruled his men with an iron hand, who married to the music of gunfire, who rallied his followers to the cause of Nicaraguan independence, was more than a more jungle bandit--he was the personification of revolt against American imperialism. Death to sandino was but a moment of discomfort, not to be taken seriously. His all-consuming passion was liberty.

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On March 1 the squabble that has been brewing for a long time between the forces of the radio and the press, is scheduled to come to a head. That is the date set by the three large news services, the Associated Press, the United Press and the Universal News Service, for the final broadcast of news secured through these sources and on that day the favorite news announcers will bid goodby to the mike that they have cooed into for nearly ten years.

The first open break between the newspapers and the radio came several months ago when the news services forbade Lowell Thomas, he of the large following, to use news items furnished by these companies. Like a father encouraging industry in his child, they declared that he must gather the items himself. They created the impression that he had been a very diligent parasite. When they saw that he was not materially hindered by their ultimatum, the moguls decided that even more drastic measures were in order. The next step was a decision to forbid all news broadcasts, but a compromise was finally offered to the radio companies so that they could broadcast morning news after 9 A. M. and evening news after 9 P. M. The N.B.C. and the C.B.S. could not see their way clear to the adoption of such a plan and so met the proposal with the establishment of their own news services. These will be put into operation next Thursday and the newspapers will withdraw their announcers from the air.

But the big guns have not ceased firing. If the Radio News Service functions efficiently the press is still out in the cold and if the newspapers really fear for their circulation there are to be further developments. Perhaps the papers will refuse to print radio programs except as paid advertising. And feature announcers in the class with Keyholer Winchell will be torn between two fires. Fired by the newspapers they will no longer by valuable to the radio and cashiered by the radio much of their national prestige will be lost. TERTIUS.