The Wanganui Chronicle. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1943 THE AMAZING ARGENTINE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 273, 18 November 1943, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1943 THE AMAZING ARGENTINE

Y(/HERE Argentina stands in the South American set-up is a puzzle which has perplexed many keen observers both in America and overseas. “The Amazing Argentine’’ John Koster Eraser called it in his travel scries 40 years ago. Amazing, indeed, it remains to-day, this wedge-shaped country which extends nearly 2300 miles from Bolivia to Cape Horn, with a. maximum breadth of nearly 1000 miles, an area ot more than a million square miles, and a population of nearly 15,000.000. Amazing in its wealth, amazing in its potentialities for agriculture and cattle raising, and still more amazing in its Government’s stand with regard to World War It. Overseas observers see in the strange course ot events in Argentina a great nation becoming one of the most perplexing paradoxes of the western world. Its people are among the most intelligent and enlightened in the hemisphere, but the Government is apparently developing into one of the most repressive on the western side of the Atlantic. Visitors to 'Washington from Buenos Aires shake their heads and advise North Americans not to expect Argentina to revert to lhe pathways of constitutional government and democracy while the Ramirez regime is in power. The march of events brings news only of new uses of unlimited power, of new Fascist-like intervention in provincial politics, in business and in everyday life. The impression gathered from the most recent, reports suggests that the Ramirez regime is almost completely lacking in popular support. It is backed only by the Nazi-admiring military officers who engineered the original revolt and by the conservative elements of the powerful Argentine clergy. It is no longer in favour with the wealthy landowners, business men are worried over governmental intentions, and liberals have been in opposition from the start. The Navy, which was lukewarm to the original revolt,, is hostile to the Ramirez Cabinet. Even elements of the Army, including General Arturo Rawson who served briefly as President until he saw that the Colonels’ Junta did not intend to break off relations with the Axis, are against the Ramirez regime. The present Argentine Government appears to have no more friends at home than it has in the world at large.

This unpopularity, so reports go, has not thus far discouraged the military government. Apparently it has led only to more repressive measures. Thus the regime is now actually developing a secret police on the Fascist style. Argentinians are for the first time beginning to glance over their shoulders lest someone may be listening when they voice criticisms of the Government. From his predecessor, President Castillo, General Ramirez inherited a state of siege which suspends guarantees provided by the Constitution for the protection of private citizens. Thus the Government can arrest any person without explanation. Those suspected of liberal-radical sympathies have suffered the most, being thrust into prison or shipped into virtual exile in the wilds of Patagonia, the “Siberia” of Argentina. Press censorship is also of the strictest, and sharp retribution follows the printing of despatches more than mildly critical.

The ship of state is still shaking from the devastating reply made by Cordell Hull to Foreign Minister Segundo Storm's plea for Lend-Lease assistance from the United States. The British Government has adversely criticised Argentina’s failure to break with the Axis. With so much opposition brewing, it may well be asked if there are prospects of the Ramirez regime being driven from office. Reports of various observers make it plain that any change of government, if it comes, will probably not be engineered by the people. The vast majority of them are definitely pro-Ally, and they deplore Argentina’s failure to rid itself of Nazi spies aud send the Japanese diplomats packing. But the war has brought a certain prosperity to Argentina and the people arc by no means so deeply stirred 1 as to be willing to face machine-guns. Since the Ramirez regime has suspended the elections, there is no chance to vote the Government out of office. Any change of government would therefore have to come through the military forces, led perhaps by pro-Ally elements among the Colonels’ group, with the .aid of General Rawson and conservative officers who resent the regime’s recent Nazi-like attempts to curry favour with the masses by attacking Ihe trusts and big business. The Navy might, help, as also might those of the clergy who arc opposed to the Ramirez repressions.

That is the present set-up in Argentina, and about the only thing that appears likely to do anything to hasten the growth of democracy there is lhe continuing of economic pressure by the United States, chief of which is 'Washington’s refusal to grant Lend-Lease aid so long as Argentina maintains diplomatic relations with Germany and Japan. Sharper pressures would probably be resented as foreign interference. It is Argentina’s job to .work out its own national salvation. But some highly-placed Argentinians fear that their Government’s Axis associations, if not soon saved, will have damaged their nation’s international position for the next half-century.