The Press SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1961. Portugal After The Santa Maria

Press, Volume C, Issue 29436, 11 February 1961, Page 12

The Press SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1961. Portugal After The Santa Maria

Since 1928, when he became Finance Minister, Dr. Salazar has imposed a usually benign dictatorship upon the

Portuguese. He has given them political stability and civil order after the turmoil that followed the overthrow of the monarchy in 1910. He has reformed the economy and made the escudo one of the strongest currencies in Europe. Standards of literacy, though improved, are still appallingly low; the distribution of wealth is grossly unequal The poor have given little sign of discontent with the regime, perhaps out of apathy, perhaps for fear of reprisals should they espouse opposition doctrines. Portugal is unprogressive, anachronistic, dull. This suits Dr. Salazar, alert to the dangers of stimulating thought about an ageing dictatorship. His opponents, having discovered a leader in General Delgado, realise that publicity is their best available weapon to expose the evils of authoritarianism. Among the first advocates of this theory was Captain Galvao. whose seizure of the Santa Maria earned him prominence in the world’s news. Now that the Santa Maria is back in her owners’ keeping, everytjody can ask himself afresh whether Captain Galvao’s intention was ever seriously to start an anti-Salazar re volt in Portugal or one of it« African territories, or whether the entire adventure was a publicity stunt Modern maritime history probably includes no more extraordinary incident; and international law on piracy is so rusty nowadays that whether Captain Galvao and his men were in fact pirates in a strict sense is a question best left unanswered. But for the tact of the United States Navy, the co-operation of Brazil’s new President (Mr Quadros), and Captain Galvao’s return to sense, the Santa Maria affair could have ended much worse. To some extent, however, the ending was irrelevant. Whatever occurred afterwards, the seizure of the Santa Maria implied a loss of dignity for Dr. Salazar, whose primary concern is to convince the world that all is well with Portugal.

While the rebels still controlled the Santa Maria, Dr. Salazar in Lisbon received

a letter from 39 Social Democrats renewing a petition unanswered since they made it first in November. The Democrats sought leave to hold a party congress, to draw up an opposition policy, and to publish a weekly political newspaper. Captain Galvao and the Santa Maria, they claimed, had revealed the increasingly adverse trend of international thought about Portugal. Although it appears certain that the Social Democrats’ petition will be rejected. Dr. Salazar might serve his own interests best by permitting a regular, orderly opposition, free to criticise his regime without too harsh surveillance by tne secret police. Changes in the international climate do not conduce towards prolonging indefinitely Dr. Salazar’s present authority. Fertile ground for the seeds of revolt exists in Portugal’s enormous African territories. Even more important may be developments in Latin America, where most republics are no longer run by Right-wing dictatorships. President Quadros has not been averse to straining Brazilian relationships with Portugal over the Santa Maria. An extradition treaty signed between the two countries last August has not been ratified: and Caotain Galvao and his followers, having been granted asylum by President Quadros. are ■pparently secure from arrest by the Portuguese authorities on charges concerning their conduct aboard the liner.

General Delgado has lived in Brazil since 1959 and his freedom to create trouble for Dr. Salazar has not been curtailed. A similar liberty appears in store for Captain Galvao, who already is concocting new schemes against those who, in his belief, wrongfully excluded General Delgado from the Portuguese Presidency. For these schemes support is assured elsewhere in South America, where exiles are beginning to speak of themselves as workers not only for Portugal but for an “ Iberian ’’ liberation ” Dr Salazar has prepared less for the succession than Genera] Franco; but old age and criticism are destructive factors against which neither can protect himself completely.