Evening star., 1942-06-24
Ortiz Resigns
AS President
Of Argentina
Castillo Protests
To Germany on
Sinking Of Freighter

By the Associated Press.
BUENOS AIRES, June "a
President Roberto M. Ortiz, III
and inactive for nearly two years,
signed his resignation today just
as the "prudently neutral" ad-
ministration of Acting President
Ramon S. Castillo announced it
was protesting vigorously to Ger
many against the sinking of an
Argentine ship by a German SUBJ
marine.
With Castillo in control since Or
tiz retired July 3. 1910, Argentina
has been steered along cautious
paths and is the only American re-
public besides Chile which main.
tains relations with the Axis.
Ortiz resignation, bidding to turn
the responsibility for the government
over to Castillo in name as we'll as
fact, is expected to be received by the
Senate this afternoon or evening.
Earlier Resignation Rejected.
Ortiz resigned once before. August
%, 1910, in an internal political af.
fair, but the resignation was re-
jected.
This time, reconciled to his physi.
clans views that his near blindness
cannot be remedied, he already has
started to move his personal ef-
fects from the presidential mansion.
Thus Castillo is left with RESPONSE
bility for the handling of the tense
public and diplomatic situation ere.
ated by the sinking of the freighter
Rio Tercero off the Atlantic coast
OF the United States.
Castillo's foreign minister, En-
rique Ruiz Guinazu. announced
after long conference with Castillo
that a protest was being made to
Berlin against the submarine "ag-
gression."
May After Foreign Policy.
Foreign office circles said the pro-
test was in most energetic terms"
and Ruiz Guinazu himself declared:
Due to the circumstances, this
case deserved most energetic con-
demnation, and consequently tho
protest will demand full categoric
satisfaction, because this act is of
such a character that it cannot be
disregarded in defense of the SOW.
ereignty of the state"
Sinking of another Argentine ship
early in the war was handled
amicably Castillo's administration
expressing assurance that Germany
would make restitution after the
war; and the damaging of another
ship recently brought German ex-
pressions of regret.
The new case. which has aroused
the Argentine public, may cause a
sharp turn in Argentinas foreign
policy.
Additional police guards were sent
to the German Embassy last night
as Foreign Office spokesman an
nounced that Argentina was taking
a serious view of the destruction Of
the Rio Tercero and the killing Of
five Of the crew.
Castillo conferred with Ruiz GUM
azu and the Ministers of War, Navy
and Interior yesterday after an
nouncement of the German attack,
about 100 miles from New York.
Activity in the Foreign Office con.
tinued until early today when Off
cials decoded the last of several long
messages received from the Argen-
tine Embassy in Washington Ruiz
Guinazu said the messages con-
firmed previously received details Of
the sinking.
The Nazi Charge d'Affaires, Otto
Meynen, who only last week ex-
pressed the profound regret" of the
Reich over the torpedoing of the
Argentine tanker Victoria, made an
other call at the Foreign Office.
Castillos course has been further
complicated by the German an
nouncement Of unrestricted sub.
marine warfare in the North At
lantic.
A Socialist Party caucus last night
authorized Deputy Nicholas Repetto
to call for an explanation of the
governments position from Foreign
Minister Ruiz Guinazu Friday.
Our neutrality serves only to
protect the Nazi fifth columns
work." Senator Alfredo Palacios said.
Ortiz's Physician Barred