Evening star., 1933-12-31
BY GASTON NERYAL.

TN Latin America, as in the United
States, 1888 will be remembered as
the turning point in period of de-
i preston and general dlscon$ent
which lasted for over three years.
No "new deal" seems to have descended,
as vet, upon the inhabitants of the
Southern republics, and Queen Depres-
sion still reigns, but the year just ended
has seen the halting of the downward
trend and has recorded, for the first
time since 1929. change for the bet
ter in Latin American domestic condi-
tions
As could only be expected, the wide
spread discomfort brought about by the
depression had been expressing itself
in Latin America in popular unrest and
political upheavals. During the past
three years governmental stability in
the Southern Hemisphere had been at
low ebb. And students of Latin
American history knew that this in
ternal instability was inseparable from
the sad state of economic conditions.
BY the same token, the considerably
improved political record of 1888 should
be interpreted as an indication that the
worst of the economic depression in
Latin America is over.
With the single exception Of Cuba,
where the last of the Latin American
pre-depression relationships was abrupt
ly brought to an end, the past II
months have only witnessed two presi-
Genital changes south Of the Rio
Grande. and neither of them was the
result of open revolution. In Ecuador,
President Martinez Mera was forced to
resign by congressional pressure, and a
provisional government peacefully con-
Quoted elections &c flnd a successor
In Peru, President Sanchez Cerro was
assasSinated by a political fanatic. but
without any interruption of the public
order, Gen. Benavides, chosen by Con-
greSs. took the reinS Of power and kept
the wheels of government going. In
Brazil Honduras and Ecuador minor
outbreaks were reported at various
times, but they never assumed serious
proportions.
Gales Plan Prepared.
This record compares very favorably
/ with that of the past three years, each
OF which were marked by at least half
| dozen violent revolts and an even
| larger number of presidential changes.
| Comparatively speaking, the Latin
American political record of 1888 seems
rather uneventful.
! In Mexico. President Rodriguez COM
| pleted the first year of his adninistra-
! ton, UndlSturbed by party riyalries, and
prepared the ground for the launching
Of the Gales siX-year plan, which is to
top the social. economic and agrarian
reforms the country is undergoing
In Guatemala, President Ubico,
though no longer enjoying the support
of all political sectors which permitted
his unanimous selection for the presi-
| dency, was not confronted by any
serious opposition, and added to his
| achievements by the conclusion of the
long standing territorial feud with
Honduras.
Honduras. itself after suppressing an
unsuccessful attempt TO prevent the
Inauguration of the duly elected Chief
Executive, Gen. Carias, saw another
! orderly and constitutional change of
| government. even though this meant a
| change Of the parties in power.
! In Nicaragua, President Sacasa. in
I the first few weeks of his administra-
/ ton. brought about the complete
| pacification of the country, task
! which three previous regimes and the
/ Marines Of the United States had
failed to. accomplish. AS a result
/ Nicaragua has had her first peaceful
/ year since 1926. and President Sacasa
/ though embarrassed by difficult fnan-
cial problems. has seen his personal
prestige enhanced both at home ano
1 abroad.
In Costa Rica. where the year before
! internal peace had been interrupted for
! the first time in a long period, popu-
! lar reaction in favor of law and order
were 50 strong in 1888 that President
/ Jimenez felt safe in denOuncing the
/ Washington treaties which forbid rec
ignition of revolutionary governments
| in Central America
| This is also true of e. Salvador
| where President Martinez has definitely
! consolidated his transitional regime and
! obviated juridical objections TO the
: same A large sector of public opinion
! is now demanding that he present him
self as a pre-dential candidate for the
next regular term.
President Trujillo of the Dominican
Republic finds himself in similar
! position. The achievements of his ad-
ministration. both politically and eco
nOmically. have been such in the past
two years that opposition at home has
given place to a strong movement IN
favor of his continuance in power
when his present term is over.
| Domestic peace was also uninter-