Evening star., 1932-05-15
BY GASTON NERvAL.

TINE son Of a former President
and the grandson of another
Don Ricardo Jimenez was last
Il week inaugurated President Of
Costa Rica.
In these days Of economic distress
and political unrest the Inauguration of
a new Latin American Chief Executive
is no front-page news. The spectacle
has been too frequent during the last
two years.
Yet. an Inauguration which is not
the result of revolution, one which has
been brought about by ballots instead of
bullets, has now become an unusual
occurrence. Senior Jimenez was legally
elected and his Inauguration took place
on the date and in the manner pro-
vided by the Costa Rican constitution.
This, which in normal times was the
rule, has become the exception. Very
few Of the Latin American countries
have been able to escape the wave of
violent internal changes which have
been characteristic of the last two
years. Still fewer have been able to
continue their political development
through the crisis without some inter-
-ruption or readjustment by force. That
Is, without an eclipse Of the national
constitution.
Not even Costa Rica itself, reputedly
the most democratically advanced of
the Central American republics. was
entirely immune to the epidemic. II
an armed uprising followed closely on
the heels Of presidential elections. But
Costa Rica did not succumb to these
disturbances. It overcame the epidemic
and chose to follow the road of law,
order and peace.
Enhanced National Prestige.
Contrary to what might have been
expected, that uprising enhanced Costa
Rica's political prestige. The over
whelming way In which the entire
population rallied to the support Of the
government, and helped to put down
the revolt, showed without doubt that
the people Of Costa Rica were really
cincial coup d'etat for selfi:h personal
purposes, which used to be typical Of
tropical politics.
The uprising was led by one of the
presidential candidates, who, upon
learning of his defeat at the polls, had
attacked and taken by surprise one of
the local army barracks. And, in open
rebellion, was determined to impose
upon the Costa Rican people, with the
aid of rifles and machine guns, the
rule they had just rejected at the polls.
For those who had been praising the
progress of political development in
Central America, and particularly in
Costa Rica, this was a cause of real
encouragement and alarm. The sue
cess Of the defeated candidates revolu-
tionary plans would have brought back
the treacherous and bloody methods of
olden days.
The conflict was, therefore, not only
one Of personal significance. The uues-
ton, as ! said at the time, was not who
would be the next ruler of Costa Rica.
It was a struggle between the reign Of
the constitution and chaos, between the
traditions of order, legality and demo-
cratic progress Of Costa Rica and the
rule OF force and personal ambition,
which had been thought buried forever.
1t was because of this conflict os
principles, and because the good name
Of Costa Rica was at stake, that the
news Of the rebels surrender, after
three days of light fighting, was
received with such widespread rejoicing
in washington and in the Latin Amer
ican capitals.
Confirmed BY Congress.
The squelching of the revolt. how
ever, did not end the problem. In
the electoral contest which preceded it
only q few hours, none of the three
candidates had obtained the majority
required by law. Don Ricardo Jinenez
led his opponents by a considerable
margin. but he lacked $500 votes of
having an absolute majority.
The constitution provided that, such
being the case, run-on election should
be held within a month, between the
two candidates who had obtained the
greatest number Of votes. But when
one OF these two had taken arms
against the legal government immedi-
ately after the elections. and attempted
to seize power by force, the constitution |
failed to provide the exact procedure.
Senor Castro Quesada, the unsuccess-
ful rebel leader, having alienated the |
sympathies Of his own friends because |
OF his revolutionary activities. had de-
prtved himself Of the privilege of enter |
ing q second contest at the polls |
against Don Ricardo Jimenez.
There were three ways open for the
Costa Rtcan government: Order
run-oh election with only one candi-
date running; annul the elections and
call new ones (Which would have
aroused the public, fully decided to
stand by its own choice); or have
Congress confirm the election of Don
Ricardo Jimenez, the candidate who
received the greatest number of votes.
This latter course, as predicted here.
has been the one followed. To comply
with the letter of the constitution. how
ever, certain previous stems yvere necae