Evening star., 1931-12-20


character their contempt for
individual liberties, their abuse of pow
er or their careless use Of public funds
have been falling down. one by one,
before an irresistible wave of popular
reaction.
Social, economic. and psychological
reasons have been advanced to ex-
plain this widespread revolutionary
fever, which left very few Latin Ameri-
can administrations untouched. Such
factors were, at one time or another,
largely discussed in these columns, un-
til the conclusion that all of them had
part in the recent Latin American
upheavals has been, I hope. we'll i'm
pressed upon the mind Of the reader.
Prevailing abnormal political condi-
tlons, and reaction against auto
cratic rule, aided bv financial difficul-
ties arising from the world wide eco
nomic depression, were In general
mentioned as the major elements be-
hind this continental unrest. This ex-
planation made the current revolu-
tionS on the other side of the Rio
Grande different from the typical. old
fashioned coup d'etat" for purely
selfish and personal purposes. which
until some years ago had been char
acterlstic of Latin American politics
fnenOmenOn Discovered.
Although at the beginning this dis
tinction was not clearly made bv news
papers in this country. later on, when
the circumstances were explained and
the results of the various revolutions
studied, it appeared evident that these
were an entirely new phenomenon in
Latin America.
One revolution has Just occurred,
however, which by the facts surround
ing lit seems to me-cannot very
well be placed among those more or
less justified violent changes of gov
ernment in other Latin American
States
A revolution which was not pre-
cedec by visible signs of popular dis
/ content. A revolution undertaken by a
group of young Army officers against a
I government which, merely few
months before, had been inauguated
rs the result of an uncOntested cleo
which any one who has been following
Latin politics would feel inclined to
classify in the kind of old-style, am
bilious "cuartelazo."
Revolution Discouraging.
The Salvadorian revolution has
brought to the observer of Latin Amer
ican affairs not only surprise. but dis
cours cement. for n had none of the
characteristics which justified the pre-
rious revolts Of this and last year in
South America
The Salvadorians were not suffering
from the arbitrariness and despotism
OF dictatorial government On the
contrary. II anybody had the sympa-
thies of the Salvadorian masses. it was
President Araujo. Always a decided
friend Of the working classes, the poor
and the least fortunate natives. Senor
Araujo had. since the beginning of his
public life, been extremely popular with
the voting elements.
Thus It happened that, scarcely a
few months ago. when he presented his
name for the presidential contest he
received the largest plurality, and his
election met with applause from one
extreme of the country TO the other
Incider tally this election was said TO
! have been the "freest" one that the
salvadorian people had experienced in
many a year.
Mistakes Admitted.
He might have committed certain
mistakes during the few months of his
administration which Vrested from him
| some popular support, but these could
] not, by any means, have been suf-
flcient to change so radically the senti-
ments of the masses and make the re-
course to revolution necessary. There
were other means, more legal and
more logical means which under no.
NAL circumstances could have been
used to correct his errors Or at
least. to make him realize the grow
ing dislike and opposition Of tho
people.
From strictly political poirt of
view, there were no principles. ideals or
even party pledges involved which
might have given this upheaval some
thing in common with the other Latin
American movements. The Salvadorian
revolt resembles more the old-fash-
ioned. personalistic coup" the scheme
which in years past created an unde-
sirable prestige for Central American
| politics.
The first communique given out by
| the new regime pictures clearly enough
the lack of principles and the person.
alistic character Of the Salvadorian af-
! fair The press reported such COM
munique as explaining the reason for
the revolt in the following terms:
The Arauio Government was dizzily
leading the country to ruinatiOn, oblig-
ing the young army officers to take
energetic measures"
! "Ruination" Questioned.
How is it possible to believe that
man who, only few months back,
had been inaugurated President amid
great popular rejoicing could be now
leading the country to ruination. What
do the rebels mean by "ruination of the
country?" How are they to prove that
the Araujo administration was "dizzily
leading" the country to it? The Saliva
dorian revolutionists have copied. too
faithfully perhaps, the charge made by
successful rebels in other Latin Amerl-
can republics. but in those cases the
injustices, inefficiency and, in some
instances, dishonesty. of the overthroWn
, regimes were too we'll known abroad to
even make such explanation necessary.
In the case of Salvador, however. it
may prove a bit embarrassing for the
leaders of the revolt if they were asked
to explain Just how the Arauio gov
ernment was "dizzily leading the coun-
try to ruinatiOn"
And another thing. Who are these
young army officers" to take such "en-
ergetic measures" Who has given
them the right to pass upon the acts of
the legal administration to declare it to
be incompetent and to punish it for its
alleged sins? Since when have the
young officers Of the army been ac-
corded the task of judging the conduct
of the constitutionally elected govern
ment. and the privilege of altering it,
according to their own judgment?
Army in Prominent Role.
1t is true that in the changes hav-
ing taken place in other Latin Amer
lean republics the army played prom
inent role, but this was in countries
where all means Of political activity
had been suppressed, where all legal
opposition had been drowned with
force. where an arbitrary and despotic
rule had enthroned itself in power and
eliminated all the possibilities of a
peaceful change. Then the action of
the army was the only way left to
crush with force such reigns of force.