DRAMATIC COUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 212, 8 September 1930, Page 7

DRAMATIC COUP.

ARGENTINA REVOLT.

Government Overthrown By Army and Navy Forces.

CASUALTIES UNKNOWN.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph-Copyright}

BUEXOS AYRES, September 7,

A revolution in Argentina yesterday resulted in the overthrow of the Government and the arrest of the exPresident, Senor Hipolito Irigoyen, who resigned on Friday. Senor Irigoyen, who is in poor health, has been imprisoned in a barracks.

The Government was overthrown last evening by the military forces after a sanguinary encounter with a little group of mounted policemen, in which about 15 persons were killed and 100 wounded. It is impossible to compile an accurate casualty list.

Among the wounded was Captain Enrique Padilla, a noted international polo player. Most of the casualties were among civilians.

The main engagement took place in the Avenida de Mayo in front of the office of the newspaper "La Epoea," a Government organ which later was sacked and burned by a mob.

The officers and crews of the naval vessels lying in Buenos Ayres Harbour joined the army in the revolt against the regime of Senor Irigoyen, who had delegated his powers to the Vice-Presi-dent, Senor Enrique Martinez.

Admiral Storni, commanding a squadron of 13 warships, sent a Note to the Government announcing that ths navy would fire no shots against its army colleagues led by General Jose Evaristo Uribiru. The Note was signed by all the officers of the squadron.

The entire navy, with its 7000 officers and men, is said to Lave gone over to the revolutionaries. The people in the capital are nervous, but outwardly calm. Probably four-fifths of tbem are* in the dark as to the significance of the fastmoving developments.

Loyalty Punished With Death. The first death in the army was reported from the suburban- garrison of El Palomar, where Lieutenant-Colonel Francisco Torres, of the air service, was shot and killed by his fellow officers for refusing to join the revolt.

Many people were wounded in clashes between the police and students, who were dissatisfied because Senor Irigoyen's withdrawal had been only a qualified one under the Argentina law, which permits a President to retire for so long as he wishes and to delegate his powers to the Vice-President.

Tho city is now under martial law. General Uribiru, who is a noted soldier, took charge of the Government and appointed a civilian Cabinet. Ho issued a proclamation stating that the country wa'S under strict military law.

Senor Martinez resigned after the coup. Ho told the commander of the loyal forces, General Toranzo, to surrender.

The provinces have not been heard from owing to the scanty means of communication. It is reported, however, that at La Plata, the capital of the province of Buenos Ayres, public demonstrations •were held at which those present demanded the resignation of the Governor, Senor Crovetto.

Genera! Uribiru, in another proclamation, decreed the execution before firing squads of violators of the new regime's military law.

Mobs poured into Government House after the surrender of the Government forces and ransacked the office- and ripped pictures of Senor Irigoyen from the walls and burned tli \

The new Government had a white flag hoisted over Government House when Senor Martinez had stepped out and the country was handed over to the army under General Uribiru and the navy under Admiral Storni.

The old Cabinet had held an all-day session in Government House, but as columns of troops converged on the ■building from two directions they decided upon surrender.

Banners Dipped in Blood. Had Senor Irigoyen resigned a few days earlier the clash would never have occurred, but once the students' blood was spilled they made a spectacular march next day, presaging the overthrow of the Government.

Ten thousand students, many of them Hndi School boys in short trousers, and o-irls with their hair in braids down their backs, paraded the down-town streets with crepe tiec! to Argentina flao-s and banners made from handkerchiefs dipped in the blood of a student who had been killed on Thursday night.

The army, which in Argentina has only infrequently mixed in politics, was easily enlisted in the revolutionary movement because of a grudge against Senor Irigoyen for • recent promotions, which disregarded the routine of ranking and elevated officers who were known to be favourable to the ex-President's party. It was these officers who were nuiekly disarmed yesterday and two of them were killed because they wished to remain loyal to the Government.

The army, supported by the navy, furthermore, desired to keep the students' demonstrations within bounds and therefore yesterday marched upon the city, with students and other civilians following in motor lorries.

It was remarked, however, that even ,r the point of disturbance the mob ' was extraordinarily orderly for a force engaged in a coup d'etat. It obtained its obiective bv steady pressure rather than by outright violence. Last evening the crisis seemed to have passed completely and the city was quiet. yesterday's events show that Senor Irigoyen's Radical party, which at the w election gave him the grea-test any President of Argentina SSSivS?is dead for the present at least. The provisional Government is made u p of Conservative leaders. In this revolution—the f'rst in Argentina for 40 years—the military forces have followed the lead of 3olivia, and Peru in recent months. Military Governments now rule these Republics, j