GENERAL PERON’S OPPONENTS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25738, 25 February 1949, Page 7

GENERAL PERON’S OPPONENTS

President Threatens Action ALLEGED “WAR OF RUMOURS” (N.Z. Press, Association-r-Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) BUENOS AIRES, February 23. The Argentine President (General Peron) has threatened to call his labour class supporters into the streets to fight the whispering campaign which he claims his foes have started against him. In a speech to the Railway Workers’ Union last night General Peron said thAt his enemies were resorting to “an irregular warfare of rumours, like a bunch of gossiping old maids.” because they opposed his regime. He said he intended to fight his enemies with the truth, which “is like showing -the Cross to the Devil.” His followers were not seeking to provoke a fight, he said, but “our oppon - ents ought to be aware that We are warriors and will battle to the last breath if we are attacked.” General Peron recalled past mass demonstrations of workers In support of his regime, and implied that he might have to call them out again within a few days. He made no direct reference to repeated rumours that the Army has turned against him. A wave of rumours has swept Buenos Aires during the last 16 days, chiefly because there are no daily newspapers, these having ceased publication because of a printers’ strike. General Peron said his foes were divided into three classes: (1) the leaders of the Conservative and Progressive Democrat parties; (2) certain economic groups allied with foreign capitalists; (3) the Communists and Socialists, who posed as his supporters in order to infiltrate the labour unions