Evening star., 1930-06-08
NEW COLOMBIA LEADER
BREAKS MANY PRECEDENTS
Election of Enrique Olaya Herrara to
Presidency Said to Have Great
Significance.

inaugurated without the slightest SNOW
of opposition from the defeated party
in power. Other nations Of the Amer
icas had also shown the same public"
spirited patriotism, notably Honduras,
where not long ago the government
party was defeated and the new regime
inaugurated in peace and good oroer.
Now Colombia has come to the front
and is doing her part for the prestige
of Latin America. Is Latin America
finally and definitely taking trend to-
ward true democracy? Only time VIII
tell.
Important International Aspect.
From an international point Of view
Senor Olaya's election to the presidency
of Colombia also has an important sig
nif1cance. In recent years suspicion ana
lack of sympathy toward Uncle Sam has
been felt in certain Colombian quar-
ters, a movement doubtless encouraged
by enemies of this country or by those
interested in hampering the commercial
relations of the two nations. For this
purpose they had availed themselves OF
certain differences existing between the
Colombian government and American
oil interests and raised their favorite
war cry of American Imperialism"
And although the relations between the
two countries have never ceased to be
normally cordial, the radical elements
of Colombia, the Socialists and the
cleft wing" had been boaSting lately OF
the success of their mischievous propa-
ganda to such an extent that some peo-
pie were wondering whether Colombia
was not really turning her back on
Uncle Sam.
And now what happens? The man
who has always been the most earnest
advocate of the United States in Co.
lombia is elected PreSident-a man
whose name has been closely asSoci-
ated with the United States in the
minds of his countrymen, whose voice
had been heard a thousand times IN
defense of the United States, and whose
pen had written a thousand pages on
the same cause; man who advocated
friendship, trust and good will toward
the great nation of the North" In his
own political platform; a man who,
after living eight years as the Minister
of his country among the Americans,
has learned to understand and to like
them, as do most Latin Americans when
they really know them; man, in
short, who is the outstanding repre-
sentative, the leader, the typical ex-
ponent of that tendency toward trust,
good will and cooperation with the
United States.
The overwhelming majority by which
Senior Olaya was elected clearly shows
that public opinion in Colombia is
friendly to the United States, toward
American capital and American enter
prise. No matter what the agitators
may say, the Colombian people have
just proved themselves to be on the
right side by supporting the man with
the right cause.
All this will, Of cS-EA Save e. IN.
tremely favorable [sfect on Colombia1
international position, and therefore
beneficial effect on Colombian credit
1t will be easier now for Colombia tt
contract the loans she needs to carry
on her public works problem and to
better her financial standing, for she
will have the confidence and co-opera-
ton of American bankers. And all
ColombianS know what this really
means to them.
Enrique Olaya Herrera, the next
President of Colombia, has all the quali-
ties requisite for uccess-youth, cour-
age, eloquence, faith. Only 20 years
ago he was leading university mutinies
against the dictatorship in his country.
His marvellous addresses and inspired
eloquence have won him first place
among Colombian orators. One South
American writer said of him: HE has
been able. like Orpheus, to tame wild
beasts with the music of his words and
to make the mobs that came to stone
shoulders"
Gained Colombian Congress.
When the boundary controversy be-
tween Colombia and Peru became acute,
many years ago, with the clash OF mill
tary forces at La Pedrera, public senti-
ment was deeply aroused in Colombia
and every man on the street was de-
manding war against Peru. Even pri-
To 1iraf ai1 iTa fIn 6riV
for arms and men, and the Congress
itself was beginning to feel the bellicoSe
sentiments of the people. Olaya Her
rera, then foreign minister, was called
to explain the situation to the members
of Congress. The atmosphere of Con-
gress was seething; highly inflammatory
speeches had just been made from all
sectors of the House; the government
was being charged with timidity and
lack of ability to safeguard the ma
tional honor" Olaya knew, however,
that the country was unprepared, and
that a war would be disastrous for
Colombia He rose to his feet, and in
Steely accents pronounced a magnif1-
cent address, like those heard in the
Roman Senate OF many centuries ago,
closing it with the classic Greek phrase,
THE viands of vengeance must be
eaten cold" His words brought calm
ness, serenity and public confidence, and
the Colombian Minister in Lima was
| able to secure soon after a favorable
solution of the incident with the PERU
Wan government. Later on, through
wise diplomatic negotiations, Colombia
obtained certain territorial concessions
from Peru which she never would have
secured by war.
The President-elect of Colombia is an
optimist as to the benefits of peace. He
has unlimited confidence in the poten-
tialities of his country and sincerely
! believes in the prominent role Colom-
bia is going to play in the political and
intellectual progress of Latin America.
Olaya has always been a statesman
rather than politician. He was never
aroused by the enthusiasm, the pas
Sions or the errors of the moment. On
accepting his nomination he clearly de-
fined the difference between a politician
and statesman. "The one" he said,
only thinks of the next election; the
other Of the next generation"
Nothing gives better idea Of his
political philosophy than the following
words from one of his electoral ad-
dresses:
Il want to form a government or
ganized without other promises and OBJ
legations than those with the nation,
one for which Is banned absolutely the
fatal doctrine that to the victors belong
the spoils, and in which the first mag
istrate, free, without any obligation
whatever to his supporters, Is relieved
from that dangerous situation which
frequently makes elected candidates
veritable slaves of their friends"
The PreSident-elect is firmly con-
vinced that the future of Colombia de-
pends on the economic co-NOsIatinn
with foreign capital. Sres]ctDg of the
manner in which this Cooperation
should be carried on, he told the writer:
THE policy I have laid down is that