Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
Nation Builder of the Andes
President

the midst OF black reaction that r,o~,,
could become great nation again and
against the opposition of his our, c lee
the oOO,OOO Spanlsh-blooded unner
classes OF Peru-he set about the re-
Mobilization of the country ana A.
raising of the 100000 of the IoT S.ar
classes to social consciousness and AZ
opportunity to develop themselves and
their country. The struggle of the last
80 years has been one of the deeneet
and most thrilling personal and his
torical panoramas in the world sTho
results are only now emerging and vet
the struggle has gone on and president
Leguia has been leader of insnirin0
courage and perSistency through If ali
WORKING, as one American has put it,
WIN tue FULLEST tools that man ever
TOOK INTO MS hand, but building, none
the less, nation with credit before
the world and a tremendous futnre
beyond the present day.
More Than 10 Years Old.
President Leguia is something over
20. He has been in public life most of
ms manhood, although in the period
Wnen the ar1stocracy succeeded in
exiting him he lived in ENGLAND and
engaged In business. He was. however,
eoucateo abroad, speaks English per-
Leccly-noeed, his only accent Is a
decidedly British one. He has based his
policy in foreign AFFAIRS from the ve e1-S
first on the soundest and most sincere
friendship with the United States. In
Pan-American conferences, the Peruvian
delegation, with the Brazilian. stands
shoulder to shoulder with the delega-
tlon OF the United States, and that
friendship endures through every issue
ana IN the face Of every effort to break
IT. President Leguia said at a recent
banquet In his honor at the American
embassy In Lima: I'm our America
there Is no room for the DEVELOPMENT
of a policy of separation, but only 8
policy of union"
Leguia has weathered the most thrill.
ing political storms ever met with by a
South American President and that
needless to say, Is a broad statement
In the midst Of the first year of his
first term as President, on May 29
1909, he was seized by a mob led by q
militant aristocrat, taken out of the
palace, dragged through the main street
OF Lima, and at the foot of the monu-
ment to Simon Bolivar, the Liberator
ordered to sign a document of resigna-
ton. He refused, and at the point OF
rifles joked with the nervous man who
had made q mistake in the date of the
document written out for him to sign
Thus he parted and gained time until
his loyal troops broke into the square
and routed the revolutionists with
bloody slaughter.
But 20 Years Ago!
All this was but 20 years agol A
clear vision Of things that men prize
and honor moSt-integrity and courage
and GOODNESS in crisis-and the fac
that those qualities are Inherent II, fIr
man, told that story. And he is a little
man-but an inch or two, If that, over
five feet-weighs 100 pounds, more OF
less; but he is keen, strong, nervy, and
worker who knows no fatigue nor
which Is perhaps most vital of all ir
his long battle In Peru-any discourage
ment.
Stories regarding him abound. Once
When the government palace, the presi-
DENTAL home, burned, President Leguis
turned to discover about him q. grour
OF nigh army officers, come to show
their respect and interest, perhaps. Ht
spoke to them briefly: what are YOU
doing here? How do you know that this
IS not the first move in q revolution;
Get back to your troops" Sycophancy
IS not and never has been the highway
to his favor.
The exile Of Leguia in London
brought about as it was by the opposi.
ton and intrigue of his aristocratit
opponents, ended In his triumphal re.
turn to Lima. He had been attacked ir
his house by a drunken mob on JULY
"a, 1913, and denied asylum in the
American legation by order of the police
although the American Minister
opened the door to hirn-finally he was
Continued on Sixth Pare