Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-07
PERU PRESIDENCY
SOUGHT BY EXILE
De la Tore Hailed as New
MussoIini on Return
to Country.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
LIMA, Peru. August 4.-V!ctor Raoul
Haya de Ia Tore, for eight years an
exile from his native land, has just
come home on the heels OF the revolu-
ton to be a candidate for President in
the September elections.
Eight years ago de la Tore. fiery
young student leader, was thrown into
the Lima prison by President August
Leguia and then deported. Now Leguia,
whose dictatorship endured for 10 years,
in prison, and De la Tore is back. his
broadened political idealism interpreted
in El Partido Aprista Pruano, the party
which he founded and heads. They
have hailed him here and in Talara,
Trujillo and Callalo as the savior OF
Peru. "El Mussolini Peruano." And
through the Canal Zone the return OF
the "departado' On the liner Santa
Maria from New York was heralded by
students, labor groups and intellectuals.
While De la Tore is one of the four
presidential candidates, and doubtless
the weeks will bring mere, he Is the
only candidate who represents party
and a party Of considerable strength
and size.
Three Others Are Candidates.
His opponents. individual candidates
all. are Gen. Sanchez Cerro, who over
threw Leguia Gen. oscar Benavides
and DR.. Aruturo Osores former member
Of Leguias cabinet.
The Civil Party Gel Partido Civil
which elected Leguia on a non-mili-
tarist program, now has diSintegrated
into factions, some of which are sup
porting the two military candidates.
De Ia Torres stormy past. his dy-
manic personality and his popularity
with students, labor and intellectuals,
will add color to the campaign. He was
born in Trujillo, city founded by
Pizarro. He studied philosophy and the
liberal arts at the University Of Trujillo.
political science and law at the Uni
versity CT Lima. Concerned about the
lack Of educational facilities for the
workers, he organized the Peoples
University in 1921. where workers were
given free education by volunteer teach
ers from the University.
Lead Student Revolt.
In 1928 the Federation of Students
which De la Tore headed, vigorously
opposed Leguia's plan to consecrate the
republic of Peru to Sacre-Coeur. be-
lieving the ceremony was step toward
a religious political domination. The
protest ended in riot, in which two
students were killed. The conservation
did not take place. but De Ia Tore
was put into prison. After 19-day
physically. but not in spirit, was shipped
out of Peru and forbidden to return.
He went to Mexico, where he was
connected with the ministry of edu-
cation and studied MeXico's handling
of the Indian problem. He visited the
United States, Russia, England, Ger
many, Switzerland. He concluded that
Russia's communism was not appli-
cable to Latin American problems
most, he said, to the political philosophy
he gained.
Studied Government.
Eight years of study Of international
government have taught him, he said
that politics is science rather than ar
adventure, and have made him prag-
matist rather than a romanticist
He is faced in Peru with the major
problems of national debt unemploy.
ment, DISCRIMINATION, political corrup.
ton. His immediate program, If elected
will comprehend these four movements
/. The calling of an economic con-
eress, representing both capital anc
labor, to determine what Peru can de
toward lifting the great burden of debt
According to De Ia Tore, Peru has nc
idea of her capacity nor even of hel
population, the last census having beer
taken in 1876.
For War on Corruption.
2. The complete reorganization of the
administration to do away with ma.
tional corruption, which De la Tore
terms tremendous.
3. Expansion and popularization o.
education.
4. The reorganization Of agriculture
toward domestic production of cheaper
food, cheaper clothing. cheaper houses
Except in cotton and sugar growing OF
the coast. De Ia Tore says that agr1.
culture is In O most primitive state, ant