Evening star., 1934-07-29
APRISTA MOVE EXPECTED
TO END PERU'S STRIFE
Victory for Oppressed Classes Appears
Certain as National Anniversary Brings
Reflection on Long List of Injustices.

come organized and spread their
propaganda that the conservative
elements, headed by the old Civilista
party, found themselves, when the
presidential elections of October,
1881. we're only few months away,
before an enemy much more power
full than they had expected. Alarmed
by the possibilities of radical VIC
tory, they recalled Sanchez Cerro
from his exile, and, impressing upon
the Peruvian people. and particularly
upon the middle class, that he was
the only guarantee against the ex-
cesses of a radical government,
they succeeded in having him nom
mated presidential candidate.
Against him stood Haya de Ia
Tore, founder Of the Apra party,
who advocated a united front of
working people and intellectuals for
more equitable distribution of
wealth and the exploitation of nat
ural resources by national elements.
Frightened by the tone of the
Aprista electoral campaign, not only
the conservatives, but the middle
class, the professional groups, the
army, the church, all the organized
factions which still control Peruvian
politics, aligned themselves behind
Sanchez Cerro and gave him their
votes. They went to him because he
was the only one able to maintain
order and to head a constitutional
government which would protect and
preserve the existing order of things,
and because they knew he would
have the support of the armed forces
to do so.
But this time his regime was not
different from his previous one. New
prosecutions. new martial laws, more
political prisoners. more oppressive
DEGREES, until an assassin's bullet put
an end to his sensational career. To
complete his term. Gen. Oscar
BenavideS, man of moderate poll
tical ideas, was selected by Congress
as constitutional President of Peru.
Strong Methods Again.
Although the first few months of
the Benavides regime were character
lied by tolerance toward all political
factions and conciliatory attitude
on the part of the government, when
the conservative leader, Riva Aguero,
was made premier, strong arm
methods were again used to sup
press opposition and criticism of the
governments internal and external
policies. The controversy with
Colombia over Leticia furnished an
excuse to prolong abnormal condi-
tions.
During the last few weeks, following
Riva Aguero's fall and the settlement
OF the Leticia question, political per-
secution seems to have been lessened
considerably, but the great opposition
party, the Apra. is still having diff
cult time in attempting to reinstate
its barred Representatives to Congress.
What makes this a momentous
period in Peru's history is not how
ever, what she has just gone through
since the end of the Leguia DICTATOR
ship. but what is in store for her
in the near future. Neither Sanchez
Cerro nor Benavides. neither violence
nor calculated tolerance, can arrest
the one vital, marching force today
in Peruvian politics, the Aprista
movement. The fact that they have
united in a common front all the
oppressed classes, and that they have
succeeded through an admirable pro-
cess of organization in enlisting the
support of peasants, industrial work
ers and middle-class elements, is not
the only factor which makes unavoid-
able the final victory of the Apristas;
the really important factor Is that
when the decisive battle-of which the
events of the past few years have
been but preliminary skirnishes-is
fought, they will be on the side Of
the people and Of social justice.
(Copyright, 1934)