Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
REVOLUTIONS KEEP
GUATEMALA BUSY
Volcanoes and Political Up.
heavalS Rotate Among
Different Areas.
BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.


Special Correspondence of the Chicago Daily
News Foreign Service. Copyright, 1880.
by the Chicago Daily News, Inc.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala
Earthquakes and revolution prevent life
from becoming humdrum in Guatemala.
The earthquakes are disastrous, for
wnen Guatemala, with its varied assort-
ment of volcanoes does get shake. it is
good one. Fortunately-that is, IL
there can be any good fortune connected
with an earthquake-rarely more than
one volcano is working at one time, so
that only the cities which are near the
one on the job for the particular year
topples over. Consequently, earthquake
visitations are rotating, but no city
need feel that it is sighted, rather that
1t will get its shaking sooner or later.
Revolution Always in Offing.
The revolutions are somewhat similar.
Political discussions are based either on
last years revolution, or one which is
about to break, or another which is sure
to come next year. They are popular
substitutes for elections. neither being
much concern nor interest to the
great illiterate bulk OF the population.
They may be annoying to officials who
ar obliged to leave hurriedly and to
those who do not get away hurriedly
enough. The Indians, who retain their
own language in this country, do not
know a revolution is going on.
Last years revolution was at Maza-
tenango. 1t was suppressed in three
days and such of the leaders as were
caught were shot. The explanation was
that the leaders got their signals mixed
and the group in MaZatenango never
received word that the opening date was
postponed. They put on their show &C
cording to schedule and discovered too
late that they were having a revolution
alone This years discomfort is said to
center in Quezaltenango, the second
city of the republic, where the popula-
ton is somewhat radical and poppy
from the altitude, exactly the same as
Mexico City. To appease its jealousy of
the capital, the railroad is to be ex-
tended and electrified to give the dis
trict an outlet for its grain and coffee
to Champerico, its port on the Pacific.
Presidents Aide a Fine Soldier.
The national army, which either
suppresses or makes revolutions, is a
picturesque organization. It is Indian.
including most of the officers. Those
officers I met in the presidential palace
and they we're numerous, for the
usual revolution was being talked on
the street-were Incorporating, intelli-
gent men, well uniformed and gay with
gold braid and insignia. One of them,
Col. Arturo Ramirez is one of the
finest type of officers ! have met in any
army. At present he lis aide to Gen.
Lazaro Chacon, the President, but he
has been Vice President, secretary OF
agriculture and pinch-hitter in other
important Offices.
Soldiers are numerous on the streets
either on duty or OF, and not as Snappy
as the officers in appearance. Uniforms
are khaki cotton-some look as II they
were slept in as we'll as worn on duty
and the old-style laced canvas leggings,
as in the American Army There the
comparison ends, for all the soldiers are
barefoot. Leggings and bare brown feet
are a contrast.
Takes Shoes OF TO Run.
"They are more comfortable In their
bare feet" one Of the officers explained.
IF We put shoes on them, they wouldn't
walk mile; and as for socks. they'd
probably use them for tobacco pouches. u
The Marines have put shoes on the
native Guardia in Haiti, but whenever
one Of them is in hurry, which oc-
casionally happens, he takes of his
shoes and carries them in his hand as
he trots along.
Flying into Guatemala by airplane
from MEXICO Is an inspiring SlgnJ. we
left Tapachula at 7:20 am, and half
an hour later were down on the field
at Retalhuleu, a coffee and sugar CEN
ter and hot even at that early hour.
Six passengers were waiting, but we
could take only three, and 1 never un-
derstood why the pilot included a fat
woman. We were in the capital at $40,
and the other three who hurried grun-
bling from the field did not arrive by
train until evening.
Circles Extinct Volcanoes.
The plane started to climb from the
coast land over rippled mountains,
white roads circling over their ridges,
white-roofed houses and occasional vii
lagos in the valleys. AS an added at
traction James H. Giffin, the pilot,
circled old Fuego, 1881 feet, and
Paxalia, 1920 feet, only few hun
dred feet from their extinct craters.
Fuego rises straight up from level of
200 feet, without a foothill It did
its stuff in 1873. when it destroyed the
old capital, Antigua, at that time a
city of 10000, with a university and
a hundred churches and monasteries.
Acatensngo, 10000, is close by and
then another circle around Aqua, Ia
300, across Lake Amatitlan, cool and
pretty, and the playground for the
capital which seems to lie below.