Evening star., 1933-10-15
PRESIDENT ARIAS ASKS
NEW DEAL FOR PANAMA
Risks Personal and Political Prestige to
Press Country's Cause Before
Chief Executive of i. S.

held the confidence OF all parties and
had the good will Of all classes in Pan
anna.
DR.. Arias had as clients nearly all
the American and foreign concerns of
any importance operating in Panama.
He was legal adviser Of the largest
american companies. some of which
had been charged with exploiting Pan
ama's resources and people. And vet
he was the man in whom the Pana-
manian masses had the utmost conf
dence, case unparalleled in Latin
America. where the legend Of American
public men favorable to the United
States.
Called During Uprising.
This confidence made itself felt when
an armed uprising overthrew the cor
rupted regime of President Arosemena
in January, 1881. and man Of STAIN
ess public record was needed to take
the helm of state. Resigning- President
Aroserena himself. obeying the CON-
mand of public opir.,'. asked DR.. Arla5
to enter his cabinet 50 that. according
to the Panamanian constitution, he
might be chosen by the other members
of the cabinet to head the government.
preserve order ard lead IN the reor-
ganizaticn of the country until Vice
President Alfaro, absent at the time,
could return and take charge OF the
chief executives chair
The two weeks that ensued were a
real test Of DR.. Arias executive ability.
He had to work Is hours day on po-
litical and economic problems vital to
the nation. trying to bring order out
of the chaos in which Panama had been
plunged by the breakdown of the old
system and its long-standino privileges.
That he was successful both in car
ry7ng Panama through those trying
days and then in conducting United
States-Panama relations as Minister to
Washington in the next few months.
and that he lived up to the confidence
placed in him by the Panamanian peo-
Die was clearly demonstrated last year
when he was selected to head the destl-
nies Of the Panamanian Republic. And
in the presidential election OF June.
1893. the Panamaniens had the frst
opportunity in their short history as
an independent nation to decide Ior
themselves who was to rule them TO-
the next four years.
United States Controlled Elections.
In all the previous elections. since
Panama was established as republc
United States had been a deciding
factor.
The electoral machinery had been
COMPLETELY controlled by the authorities.
Thus. government candidates. or those
vino had Official support, could be con-
sidered virtually elected when noml-
mated. TIE opposition Candidates had
been helpless against the pressure and
political maneuvering OF the class In
power
The only chance for candidates op-
posed to the government had rested,
therefore, on the supervision OF the
elections by the United States. Only
when the country which had helped
Panama to gain independence. ana
which was bound By treaty TO preserve
it, intervened and controlled the cleo
tions had the Panemanians been Ger
tain that government influence could
be overcome.
But in this case the followers OF gov
ernment candidates charged the United
States with discrimination against them.
Under such circumstances. the attitude
Of the United States had been. truly.
most important factor in all pre-
vious presidential contests in Panama.
Situation Is Reversed.
In June. 1882, however. the situation
was a different one. A revolution sue
cessfully carried out year and half
earlier had ended the traditional gov
eminent control of popular elections
and. generally, Of internal politics in
Panama.
Furthermore, it had given Panama its
first impartial. non-partisan and ma
tionaiistic government that Of Ricardo
J. Alfaro. A government which was
only interested in the reorganization Of
the country and not in the perpetua-
tion in power Of any particular group
Of men.
Thus. when the Panamanians went
to the polls on June S. 1882, they could
feel confident that whoever was elected
it would be the exclusive choice Of the
Panananian people This was. really.
something new in the annals Of Pana-
manian politics. And the result was the
election Of Harmodio Arias. who is to-
day in Washington endeavoring to Sc
people.
tCopyrisht 1a33)