Evening star., 1946-02-15
|Braden Was 5pYChi
|Peron Says in Reply
To Blue Book Charges
by III. Assoeio,sd Press

bf fhe Astoetofea PreaS
BUENos AIRES, Feb. l5.-Pres-
idential Candidate Juan d, Peron
accused Spruille Braden, United
States Assistant Secretary Of
State, last night of having
headed a vast spy network"
while he served as Ambassador
to Argentina and of blackmail-
ing Argentine merchants into
contributing funds to support
his "subversive work"
At the same time Peron and For
eign Minister Juan I. Cooke issued
fiat denials that Peron or the Ar
gentine government had dealt with
the Nazis, as charged in a Blue Book
issued byhthe State Department.
Cooke said in radio address that
the release of the Blue Book gave
rise to the suspicion that the United
States hoped to influence the Feb
ruary "a presidential elections.
Lang Also Charged.
Peron, former Vice President In
the government of President Edel-
miro Farrell. also declared that Brig.
Gen. John Lang, former.Military At
tache at the United States Embassy,
was expelled from Argentina for
proven espionage against Argentina
and other friendly countries"
Secretary of State Byrnes to-
day hit back at Peron's attack
against Mr.. Braden by pointing
out that the Blue Book was pub
lished by the United States Gov
ernment rather than by Mr..
Braden.
(He refused specific comment
on the charge by Peron that Gen.
Lang had been expelled for es-
pionage. He added, however,
that there is nothing in State
Department records to show that
any formal charge ever was filed
against Gen. Lang by Argentina
or any other government.)
In statement in the newspaper
La Epoca, which is supporting his
presidential aspirations, Peron said
Lang was not able to defend him.
self against the accusations, which
were completely proven"
He Gang) did not even try to,"I
Peron said. He left Argentina
with his tail between his legs and
his chief, Braden, was not able to
justify him with certainty. '''
Blacklist Recalled.
II could tell how Braden financed
his political campaigns inside the
country with money obtained by ex-
tortion from Argentine merchants.
The blacklist served for this.
I'VE can say to Mr.. Braden that
he had been here in Argentina as
chief of vast spy network, rot lin
tied to Argentina but in all South
America"
Peron said Braden used money
obtained from merchants to do his
subversive work free and appear as
a generous paymaster before his
servants"
Peron also charged that his politi-
cal opponents in the forthcoming
election were planning an outbreak
of violence, which would be blamed
on him.
I'm this event." he added. "our
program would win within 48 hours
by revolution"
Lack Copy Of Book,
Cooke, assertedly speaking for
President Farrell as well as himself,
said Argentina had been unable tol
obtain an official copy of the Blue
Book, and declared the manner in
which the United States charges
had been made were in violation Of
diplomatic procedure.
"All direct or indirect imputations
based on German sources relating
to Intervention in acts or meetings
on behalf of any country of the
Axis are absolutely false" he added.
The issuing OF the Blue Book only
IL days before the election, he said
might be construed as Intervention
and was unworthy of q great
American nation
Oscar Ibarra Garcia, former Am
bassador to Washington, also denied
the charges contained in the Blue
Book.
Government sources said another
cabinet meeting would be held to-
day to discuss the Blue Book and
the elections,
The War Ministry published two
communiques-one denying that a
concentration camp had been estab-
lished at the Army base at Campo
de Mayo near the capital, and the
other listing troop movements in