Evening star., 1943-06-13
Arqentinu Recoqnized

argentina Recognized
The essentially military regime
which assumed power in Buenos
Aires after ousting the legal govern
ment of President Castillo has
gained general diplomatic recogni-
ton in almost record time The proc
ess began with Argentina's neigh
bors. Close on their heels came the
Axis powers, Germany, Italy and
Japan, while even before their for
NAL action the new government was
informed by our Embassy at Buenos
Aires that United States recognition
was on the way. This was consum-
mated on Friday, coincidentally
with Great Britain, Canada and sew
eral other governments throughout
the globe. including Vichy France.
This about makes it unanimous. And
it has all happened within week
after General Ramirez consolidated
the coup d'etat begun by General
Rawson two days earlier.
A warning world having universally
accepted the political transformation
in Argentina, it is now pertinent to
ascertain what the shooting was
about and what may be the new gov
ernment's intentions in the field of
foreign policy.
So far as the revolution itself is
concerned, it becomes increasingly
evident that it was an inside job"
carefully planned and skillfully exc
cuted by almost all the leading ele-
ments in the conservative coalition
that dominates Argentina's political
scene. For various reasons those ele-
ments had become dissatisfied with
the foreign policy of President Cas-
tillo, who had isolated himself from
his former supporters and built up
a purely personal government which
he was trying to perpetuate through
the nomination of a faithful hench-
man named Costas in the presiden-
tial elections slated for next Sep
tember. This scheme was thwarted
by the military coup, which not only
deposed the President, but also dis
solved Congress and adjourned the
elections indefinitely, thus putting
party politics on ice. The net result
has been to confirm conservative
control of Argentina on broad in
stead of a narrow basis. There is
considerable evidence that the con-
servative military coup headed off a
move by the political opposition,
consisting of the Radical and Social
ist parties, to stage a rising Of their
own against Castillo, which would
have put them in power and resulted
in far-reaching internal changes. AS
things now are, no essential altera-
ton of the domestic situation should
be expected so long as the conserva-
tive coalition sticks together.
This leaves the question of what
the new regime may be expected to
do in the field of foreign policy. 1t
already has taken one significant
step away from Castillo's covertly
pro-Axis isolationism by banning
radio messages sent abroad in code,
which undoubtedly gave the Axis
valuable information, especially OF
Allied ship movements The Ranli-
rez government has announced con-
tinued neutrality for the present, )"
h,,t tho EoroiOy,
Minister, states that I'VE are on the
road which will bring the closest
collaboration between our two coun-
tries and the continent in general"
That statement, given in the course
of a press interview expressing
qualification at Washington's diplo-
matte recognition, would seem to
indicate a neutrality increasingly
benevolent" toward the United
States and its Allies, and in con-
formity with the program of Pan
American cooperation laid down at
the Rio conference of January, 1912,
from which Argentina has been the
lone exception among the Latin
American republics.
1t remains to be seen whether this
cautious approach will qualify Ar
gentina to participate in our lease
lend program and also to regularize
trade relations with Britain, which
have been on a provisional basis
Those were undoubtedly the chief
foreign objectives of the coup against
Castillo. Presumably these are mat
ters for common sense negotiation,
taking into account both Allied
interests and the domestic require
ments of the Ramirez government.
Nh (@.-x.~