ARGENTINA EXPELS U.S. OFFICER

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24802, 16 February 1946, Page 7

ARGENTINA EXPELS U.S. OFFICER

“Espionage Proved”

PERON’S DENUNCIATION OF BLUE BOOK (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p ill.) BUENOS AIRES, February 14. Colonel Juan D Peron, former Vice-President and the power behind General Farrell s regime, announced to-dav that Brigadier-General John Lang, United States military attache at Buenos Aires had to be expelled for proved espionage against Argentina. The American State Department at Washington refused to comment on Colonel Peron’s announcement.

Colonel Peron announced to-day the suspension of his Presidential campaign. He said there would be revolution within 48 hours if any attempt were made on hislife. He said he was obliged to suspend the campaign because terrorist bands, armed by an oligarchy, were preparing a wave of violence.

The Buenos Aires correspondent of the “New York Times” says reported rumours of a Cabinet crisis, and even of troop movements in the neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, circulated in the city with great insistence this afternoon. The War Ministry confirmed that there had been some troop movements, but said they lacked any significance and were part of the preparations the army was making to maintain order during the forthcoming elections.

Colonel Peron to-day denounced the American Blue * Book as part of “the well-known Braden plan, which disturbs good relations between Argentina and the United States and also the tranquillity of other American republics, which see this dignity and sovereignty threatened by untimely interference.” "I could tell how Mr Braden financed his political campaigns inside Argentina with money obtained by extortion from Argentine merchants in exchange for removing them from the black list,” said Colonel Peron. “Mr Braden was chief of a vast spy network not limited to Argentina but throughout South America. These accusations can be proved by documents existing in the Argentine War Ministry.”

"El Laborista.” the official newspaper of Colonel Peron’s Labour Party, published Colonel Peron’s statement under the streamer headline: "Peron or Braden. That is the issue. Vote on February 24 for one or the other.”

"El Laborista” commented that the Blue Book "reveals the extraordinary imagination of the authors and a disturbing lack of proofs.” Mr Spruille Braden is the American Ambassador to Argentina and has been publicly attacked by Colonel Peron’s supporters on several occasions. He has served in diplomatic posts in several parts of Latin America. The Foreign Minister (Senor Juan Cooke), in a broadcast, denied the Si .te Department’s charges in*the Blue Book. He said the publication of the Blue Book gave rise to suspicions. It constituted evident intervention in the coming Argentine elections. This was unworthy of the great American nation.

"On behalf of General Farrell, l am authorised to say that all direct and indirect imputations based on German sources relating to intervention in acts cr meetings on behalf of any Axis country are absolutely false,” said Senor Cooke.