JUNTA’S DECREES

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 222, 15 June 1932, Page 9

JUNTA’S DECREES

Confiscatory Measures NEW REGIME IN CHILE Britain Takes Serious View (Rec. June 14, 5.5 p.m.) Official Wireless. Rugby, June 13. The grave view taken here of the confiscatory measures outlined in decrees of the new Junta in Chile was expressed by the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Captain R. A. Eden, in reply to questions in Parliament. He said that President Montero s Government was overthrown on June 4 as the result of a coup d’etat executed by the Air Force and Army, and had been replaced by a Junta of three persons, who had appointed a Cabinet. Decrees had been issued, the first declaring the Central Bank to be a State Bank, retiring the shares of Chilian and foreign banks and private individuals at their nominal value, and giving bonds in exchange, suppressing the directorate, and arrogating complete control to the Junta, and the second similarly taking over all foreign currency deposits in all banks. “His Majesty’s Government has not entered into official relations with the present Government,” said Captain Eden, “but the Charge d’Affairs has been instructed to inform it that his Majestyis Government takes the most serious view of these confiscatory measures, and if they are carried through will strongly support the demand for full compensation for the British interests affected. “In reply to similar representations respecting the protection of British lives and property, his Majesty’s Charge d’Affairs has received an. assurance that adequate police protection will be < provided for British subjects.”

The formation of a Government in Chile with marked socialistic tendencies in “modified Soviet form” was outlined in a manifesto issued on June 5, which gave the Government monopolistic,powers over the major industries, including oil, matches, alcohol, sugar, iodine, and tobacco. The programme also socialised the banking system and hinted at .confiscatory taxes to promote a gigantic unemployment relief campaign, the confiscation of unproductive lands for use by the unemploved, and intention to dissolve the great Nitrate Corporation known as “Cosach.” in which a vast amount ot foreign capital was involved, including American and British.

HEAD OF GOVERNMENT

Selection by Junta (Rec. June 14, 7 p.m.) Santiago, June 13. Senor Rollando Medino, Minister of the Interior, has been chosen by the Revolutionary Junta to fill the place as head of Chile’s new Socialist Government vacated by the resignation ot Senor Carlos Dilvila.