The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-12-15

Briefly summarized, these con-
ferences involve the question of
whether the United States should
crack down on Argentina. Speci-
ficaly, they involve the question
of whether we should permit Ar
gentina to sneak her gold out of
this country and continue to use
her credit in U. S. banks to pay
off Nazi agents in the u. S. A.
Actually, they also involve the
broader question of whether g
gang of pro-Nazi Argentine army
officers, educated in Germany
should be permitted to continue
to thumb their noses at the
U. S. A., while every other Latin
A meriaconntuc
American country anxious to be
friendly with this country is
amazed that we let them get away
with 1t.
During these State Department
conferences, a battery of Treas
ury officials has argued vigorous
ly that we must crack down on
Argentine finances. A coterie of
diplomats has sat around Mr..
Hull's desk, most of them arguing
to the contrary. The Secretary
of State himself swings his black
ribboned pince-nez glasses and
listens. So far, nothing has
happened.
AMAZING ARGENTINE
INTRIGUE
Meanwhile, the story of what is
happening in Argentina continues
to be the most amazing of the
war. Few people realize that
the most pro-NaI nation outside
of occupied Europe has developed
right under the wing of our
Good Neighbor policy.
There is strong censorship
i'm Argentina. Any newsman
who writes what is really hap
pening is kicked out of the
country, sometimes beaten up by
gangsters. But pieced together
from diplomatic dispatches,
from reports of returned diplo-
mats and from the underground,
here Is a closeup picture of
what Is happening.
The former government of aged
President Castillo was conserva-
tive, isolationist but somewhat
pro-American, and leaned in
creasingly toward the United
States sit became apparent that
the war was sure to go in our
favor.
Then, suddenly, a clique Of
Argentine Army officers seized
power. This was ON Jlne 4, one
month after we Lad triumphed
in Tunisia, several months
after the tide of Russian de-
feat had turned to victory at
Stalingrad, and when it was
quite obvious even to doubling
Argentines that the Allies would
come out victorious.
Ire revolution was engineered
within few hours, with the loss
Of only 80 lives. The Army SIM
ply took command The men who
led the Army were, almost with
out exception, friendly to Ger
many. Many of them had been
educated there. An even greater
number had been carefully cul-
tivated by the Nazis.
And what most people don't
know is that many Argentine
army officers, paid meager SAL
aries, had borrowed heavily from
German friends. Some of them,
though not pro- German at heart,
were subjected to blackmail and
threat Of exposure regarding these
debt unless they played the Nazi
game.
PLACE OF REFUGE
FOR HITLER
One theory which cannot be
proved. but which is believed by
many diplomatic observers, Is that
Hitlers gang for years had worked
to build up place of exile for
themelves in case of defeat. At
ter the fall of Stalingrad and
then Tunisia, they began to see
defeat staring them in the face.
That, therefore, was the cue to
move in Argentina.
But what can be proved is that
concrete Nad plans had been
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