Evening star., 1943-10-11
Paraguayans Blame
u. ). for Buttressinq
Nation S Army Rule
BY ALLEN HADEN,
Foreign Correspondent of The Star and
Chicago DaiIv News


Foreign Correspondent of The Star and
Chicago Daily News.
ASUNCION, Paraguay, Oct. l.
tBy MaiD-A distressing feature O.
the Paraguayan situation today i!
that the United States gets blamee
Tor the plight in which the ordinary
man finds himself in that country.
The man in the street, like the
Paraguayan exile, reasons like this
president Higinio Morinigo i.
Kept in power by the army. Tht
army is kept powerful with Lease.
Lend equipment obtained for it by
the Morinigo government from the
United States. Since American
diplomats are neither deaf, blinc
nor dumb and presumably are con-
scious of what they do, the United
states keeps Morinigo where he is
IN flagrant disregard of the essential
human rights of individual Para
guayans."
! The official United States posi-
ton is that cofrees international re-
latlons preclude interesting oneself
IN internal affairs. This official posi-
ton goes on to explain that Para
quay has done its best since the war
began to fulfill Pan American
agreements-for which all patriotic
Americans are duly grateful While
there may be some argument as to
, the effectiveness of some of the
measures taken. nevertheless the
formal record is impressive. Here
is a list, perhaps still incomplete
OF the things which Paraguay has
done to assist the United States.
Aid to U. S. Listed.
l. Paraguay broke relations with
the Axis in January. 1912
2. Axis propaganda has been
stopped. This correspondent was
unable to find any after diligent
search.
3. Axis diplomats have been ex-
PEELED.
4. The newspapers print only
American and British news services,
thus cutting off Axis news agencies.
5. A military airport has been
authorized and is being built on the
outskirts of Asuncion with Ameri-
can Government money. Stopped
for a time by 1t. Col. Venitez Vera,
Paraguay's strong man and COM
mander of the cavalry, who ordered
American engineers off the field,
work has begun again, though still
viewed with some suspicion by Para
guayans. A good commercial field
already exists and is in use.
6. Following the resolutions of the
Rio de Janeiro conference. Para
guayan DEGREES have cut off radio
communications and commercial re-
latlonS with the Axis and declared
police war on subversive activities.
Axis Radios Silenced.
7. Dlllgent search for clandestine
Axis radio stations has revealed
none and rumors Of Axis spies op-
Grating in Paraguay remain rumors.
German nationals have not been
arrested wholesale precisely because
their subversive activities never have
been substantiated by proof. About
$4,000 Germans (some people say
$4,000 live in Paraguay, mainly
around Asuncion, and form
nucleus essential to the business
life of the country. paraguay has
a population of about 100000 of
which 10000 live in AsuncionD
8. Moral support is outspoken.
President Morinigo and Foreign
Minister Luis A. Argana will make
democratic" declarations whenever
called upon.
When discussing United States
Paraguayan relations, the exiles
(Whose point of view must be con-
sidered, since they include some of
the country's best minds, foreign
businessmen and Paraguayans in
Paraguay get down to fundamentals.
why fight Axis oppression if
similar oppression within Paraguay
is not only condoned but its chief
exponent wined and dined in Wash
ington?" they ask. Then they point
out these conditions:
Censorship of the press is appall-
ingly tight.
People look over their shoulders
before talking to their friends in
the streets.
Habeas Corpus Withdrawn.
Habeas corpus is dead letter and
with that basic principle gone, ad
ministration of justice becomes a
question of fixing" matters with
army officers-especially 1t. Col
Venitez Vera. Hence bribery, un-
common until recently, has, they
say. invaded Paraguayan business
and public administration.
Everywhere are army men, in
bright new uniforms, driving hand
some jeeps and American trucks.
The army gulps 78 per cent of Para
guay's smallest -the-world budget
of S4,500,000. Those jeeps and trucks
still carry ~. S. A." painted on
them, and the connection between
army oppression and the United
States is insinuated with all the
delicacy of a power hammer.
With living costs rising, the Gov
SCCho llCW ld!tCo AL SNClJ
possible corner. A recent stunt has
been to require veterans of the Chaco
war to revalidate their discharge
papers. Failure to do so carries a
fine of about $3.50 and the fine
cannot be appealed.
Businessmen Confused.
Businessmen hardly know where
they stand. A newborn practice of
levying huge fines for trivial infrac-
tions of multiple regulations can be
fixed" but not contested DEGREES
follow each other in bewildering sue
cession. A recent one changed some
customs duties. 1t pretended to re-
duce them to uniformity, but actu-
ally increased them instead in
cluding one item upped $50 per cent.
Paraguayans jest about the arbi-
trariness of their government with
bitter wit.
While President Morinigo decreed
himself as sole candidate for presi-
dent and was duly elected" Para
guayans claim that in reality there
were three candidates: President
Morinigo, Gen. Morinigo and Higinic
Morinigo.
(Copyright, 1s43, by Chicago Daily News }