Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07
In LATIN AMERICA
By CASTOR NERVAL.

means the beginning of new and more
democratic era In that South American
republic.
Down With Dictatorships!
The situation in Peru was only DIFF
ferent from that in Bolivia in that 1t
was worse. President Leguia, who came
into power IL years ago as a dictator"
had succeeded In changing the Peruvian
constitution arbitrarily so that he could
perpetuate his hold upon the govern
ment. Twice, in 1924 and 1929, he was
reelected by his political friends, and
for IL years he had ruled that country
as a strong man." whose word was law.
This is not the place nor is this the
moment to analyZe conditions under the
Leguia regime, but whoever lived in
Peru during the last 10 years has had
an opportunity to understand the eX-
tent of the eclipse that all personal
liberties were undergoing. Slowly, but
tenaciously, President Leguia extermi-
mated all opposition The most out
standing party leaders were exiled or
imprisoned, newspapers were expropri-
ated b. the government, and the slight
est sign Of opposition punished with ex-
President Leguia became internationally
known, and he himself was called the
South American Mussolini."
And this departure from democracy
was not the only sin of the Leguia re-
gime. Economic conditions in Peru
had been growing worse and worse dur
ing recent years, and although some
material improvements and public road
building may have given the impression
Of economic prosperity, the real stu
alton Of the country's finances was
critical in the extreme. Allowing for
the natural eXaggeration OF his enemies
charges, 1t cannot be doubted that the
overthrown dictator should have had
some responsibility In the management
Of Peruvian national funds. He was
accused Of being too liberal in the dis
tribution of public funds to his political
friends. This is one of the charges
upon which he is at present held in
prison by the new authorities Of the
country.
Only the rigorous policies Of the die
tatorship and Leguia's Iron hand" had
prevented for long time the outbreak
Of violent resistance against such an un-
popular regime. Without the support of
the armed forces, however, sny opposi-
ton was hopeless and one after another
several attempts at rebellion failed with
little struggle. AS in Bolivia two months
ago, and probably influenced by this eX-
ample, the Peruvian army has now in
tervened and, forcing President Leguia
to resign, has established a military gov
eminent in Lima, which will see that
democratic liberties are .estored to the
people and Peruvian economic problems
duly studied and solved.
Like the Bolivian movement, this is
not mere political uprising for a
change in ambitious "caudillos" in the
government OF Peru. It Is a "legalistic"
fof lNxyt SV1fa
ual class Of the country-almost entirely
in exile-and carried out by the Army
not In detriment to- but in defense Of
the original constitution, and for the
sake OF individual liberties.
II might so happen that selfish politi-
cal opportuniSts may try to take edvan-
tage OF the situation and thus give rise
to civil struggle, but this is only a pos
sibility, and distant one. In such
case 1t would be justifiable to regard
Peru as having gone back to unfortunate
conditions OF political unrest and an
archy. But until that happens, there is
no reason why a democratic and orderly
move TO save the country from deSpot-
ism should be mistaken for that typical
Latin restleSSnesS which one sees so
much exploited in moving pictures end
books OF fiction. Until that happens,
1t is not right to call the Peruvian coup
life and property" and with mo con-
structive purpose to accomplish"
A much more accurate Interpretation
was given in an editorial in the New
York Herald-Tribune, which, after ex-
planning the recent revolutions in b.
livia and Peru as instances In which
"the army was instrumental in peace
fully easing out a President who had
lost his grip on the country" added that
If the Bolivian example is followed in
all details the change of administration
VIII not upset Peru politically or hnan-
cially."
The Army in Politics.
referred to two other South Ameri-
can republics which have previously
gone through q political phase similar
to that now existent in Bolivia and
Peru. They are Ecuador and Chile,
and 1t seems important fora better
understanding of the situation to men,
ton briefly the results attained in those
countries.
In 1925 the Ecuadorean Army re-
VOTED against the government In power,
and thus put an end to state of az
fairs serious both politically and finan-
cially in that republic. It was thought
then, too, that this militaristic pro
nunctamento" was but another plot Of
political agitators moved by personal
ambitions. Instead, the army officers
OF high rank in provisional charge of
the government, themselves refusing to
mix in politics, selected an honorable
and impartial man and intruSted to
him the direction of national affairs.
In this way the government of DR..
Ayora, q practicing physician. was in
augurated in Ecuador, and all domestic
unrest came to- an end. DR.. Ayora has
since been developing an exempIarily