Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-08-21
Democracy Lost Vivid
Fiqhfer When Botana
Journalist, Died
Founder of Buenos Aires
la Criticu Preferred
Stuffed Shirt Foes
BY ALLEN HADEN.

SruITeQ SnlIt TOeS
BY ALLEN HADEN.
| Especial Correspondence Of The Star and
| Chicago Daily NewsD
BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 8 CBy
Clipper When death Stilled the
! heart of Natalie Botana in the
early morning of August 7, the
Americas lost in the stormy founder,
owner and publisher of La Cr!tica,
Argentina's most loved and most
hated newspaper, one of democracy's
stoutest champions and bluff
friend of the underprivileged every
where.
Botana's life was a succession OF
fights. He was rough rider Of
the fourth estate. Botana meant
La Critica and La Critica still means
Botana. Having chosen to become
the champion of the shoeleSs, La
Critica from its founding in 1913
has shouted the right of unioniza-
ton, the right of free speech, the
right of clean elections, the right to
eat and live decently. Botana would
fight any one, but preferred they
be stuffed shirts.
Until few years ago, when out
stripped by Ell Mundo, Buenos
Aires morning tabloid, La Critica's
circulation of 100000 copies daily
was the largest of any newspaper in
Spanish. 1t is the only afternoon
paper read throughout the continent
and it can be found on newsstands
as far away as Mexico, Cuba and
New York This was achieved SIM
ply by the unfailing daring and
ebullient optimism always to be
found in its news and editorials.
Feared for Russians.
One of the last times talked with
Botana, just after the Germans had
attacked the Soviet Union, he was
pesSimistic about the encounter. He
felt the Nazis might pillow through
the massed Russian troops.
Never mind" Botana then added.
LA Critica" has never yet lost a
war Right up to the time that
Frances troops were at the gates
of Barcelona, we were winning vic
tories with the Republicans. Well
beat the Nazis if We have to with
draw with Timoshenko into ST.
beria!"
Botana was born in Uruguay of
very humble parents. His early
life was spent largely in the street
and sleeping on park benches. When
he was Is he engaged in an abortive
revolution in Montevideo. 1t was
lucky he did so, for he was forced
to flee. He came to BuenoS Aires,
and with 40 pesos (about 500 started
a little four-page sheet which i'm
mediately caught the fancy of the
public. Botana, on the theory that
the people wanted to read news,
made a go of it.
At that time in BuenoS Aires, the
backbone of any newspaper con-
sisted of think pieces" on the
philosophy of life and politics, de-
tailed analysis of the most recent
academician's style and reviews of
the theater season in Paris
Botana interlarded these with news
small scandalous items of high
society and accounts of the latest
political rumpus.
Told News Directly.
He abandoned the high-flown
style usual in Spanish journalism
and adopted a direct method OF
telling the news which was a revela-
ton to Buenos Aires and caused Z
revolution in news treatment here
No one knows how many libel suits
have been brought against La
Critica.
AS symbol of his house Botana
chose the gadf1y, called in Spanish
tabano, which is an anagram of his
name. And the slogan of La Critica
carried every day on its masthead
is Socrates warning to Athens:
God put me over your city like
a gadfly on a spirited horse to sting
him and keep him awake"
The World War broke out very
soon after La Critica was founded
and newsprint prices shot skyward
La Critica's finances were in a bad
way. Botana needed newsprint but
couldn't pay the prices. At the
time, the largest newsprint dealers
in Buenos Aires were Wasserman
& Co. Wasserman went on a trip
to Germany, leaving in charge OF
his business an amiable politician
and writer named Estanislao Zebal-
los. Wasserman was hardly out OF
sight of land when La Critica pub
lished photograph of Zeballos with
eulogies. For 10 days La Critica's
love for Zeballos grew and ripened
ending with a full page portrait as
a rapturous grand finale. Zeballos
was only human, his virtues were
being recognized. Botana's call
shortly thereafter at the Offices of
Wasserman & Co. was successful
He obtained a credit of 100 900 pesos
and for two years drew all the news
print he needed when he needed it.
Jailbreak Pops Circulation.
On one occasion, to hven up cir
culation, Botana demanded a Sc
ries of stories of a jailbreak. So
a reporter was instructed to get
jailed; which he did. From the
inside, he dug tunnel under the
walls of the penitentiary, was first
out, and hoped into one of La
Critica's waiting automobiles. His
stories were bowling success. The
reporter was followed into the tun-