Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11
in LATIN AMERICA
BY GASTON NERVAL.

1 tects were turned down and a former
business partner of the President called
back from Europe at great expense and
paid royalty for his work.
1t was also decreed that all civil en-
ployes OF the administration should give
up per cent of their salaries for cleo
/ toral purposes" of the party in power.
These electoral purposes" covered the
most varied nature Of expenses and the
money deducted from the salaries of
humble clerks served to pay for political
favors or buy human consciences. In a
recent case it served to attract a retired
political chieftain by paying of his
electoral expenditures in q campaign
against the government of two years
before. In another to give a certain
amount Of moDey to member of the
cabinet, undeSp retense Of buying an ex-
pensive gift for the wedding Of his
daughter. And so on.
CHART WON SUPPORT.
1t is charged this government corrup-
ton had been going on for many years.
When the reign Of old President Porras
was at an end, the younger elements of
the Liberal party, thoroughly disguised
with the scandals of his administration
and very much afraid of the possibility
of his continuance in power, lent all
their support to Rodolfo CHAR in whom
they saw the rehabilitation of the coun-
try. Their hopes did not last long.
In 1928 CHAR and Porras were Bit
ter enemies. Porras ATTEMPTED to get
the support of the United States to
again obtain the presidency by suggest
ing Intervention, but he failed in his
attempt. He then presented as a can
| didate one of his closest friends, and
n II fkNnVea 49,
country, was obliged to choose between
this man, who meant the return of the
old Porras influence Of evil memory to
the government, and the one selected by
President CHAR himself Harmodio
Arosemena, who had never figured in
Panaman politics before. Once
| again the puritan group in the party
thought that AroSemena, when elected,
would sever his connections with CHAR
and give the administration they were
hoping for, and they supported him in
that belief. This is how ST.. Harmodio
Arossmena became President of Pana-
ma two years ago.
But once more they were disappointed.
| The new Chief Executive, according to
his enemies, turned out to be an in
Strument for CHAR to direct and en-
ploy for his own advantage All the
Liberal perSonageS of honest tradition,
VINO were known to be opposed to
these personalistic tactics were kept
at a convenient distance. Among them
was Ricardo j. Alfaro, leader of this
group, who had been feared by the
politicians in power for his upright
ness and stanch character. Several
times he had been mentioned for the
presidency or the nominal vice presi-
dency Of the republic, but instead the
self-imposed rulers of Panama kept
him away, as Minister in Washington,
for number of years. Paramount
problems pending between Panama and
the United States obliged Senior Alfaro
to accept this diplomatic exile" and
devote himself to the defense of his
country's rights.
Finally, in 1928, the movement in his
favor was such, after a brilliant record
in the Washington legation, and after
he had prevented the requested Ameri-
| can intervention invoked by Porras'
! followers, that the governing clique had
to accept his election as First Designate.
or Vice President, which is only a nomi-
nal title in Panama, for the sole con-
tingency of a vacancy occurring in the
| presidency. Like Senior Alfaro, other
prominent members of the party were
carefully kept out Of the. scene and
the arbitrariness of rule continued its
course.
THE LAST ACT.
Such a situation could not last for
ever The comedy of a supposedly
democratic administration staged by
group Of politicians had been going
on for several years, but there Is an
end to every comedy. And this was
bound to be q dramatic one.
The sentiment of public dissatisfac-
ton with the tactics Of the government
grew stronger last october, when the
legal provisions of the constitution were
juggled in order to permit the election
Of one of Chiaris political lieutenants,
Tomas Duque, IS first Designate for the