Evening star., 1946-03-18
Argentine Problem

Argentine Problem
The plainly indicated victory for
Colonel Peron in both the presiden-
tial and congressional elections in
Argentina presents this country with
problem that is as difficult as it is
important.
For some years the policy of our
State Department has been aimed at
unSeating the "colonels' clique" in
Argentina. During the war this was
justified by the contention, appar-
emily well founded, that the Argen-
tine authorities, If not actually CO.
operating with the Nazis, were at
least acquiescing in German activi-
ties seriously prejudicial to our own
military effort. With the close Of
hoStilities our diplomatic campaign
against the dominant regime has
been conducted through such devices
as the recently issued Blue Book,
and has rested on the theory that,
despite the defeat of the Axis in
Europe and Asia, the spirit If not the
substance of FaScism would remain
alive and continue as a potential
menace as long as the "colonels'
clique" held power in Argentina.
Unfortunately for us, however, our
diplomatic offensive was predicated
on the widely held but erroneous
belief that the Argentine faction of
which Peron has come to be the SYM
Dol was not truly representative of
the Argentine people. In free elec-
ton, 1t was said, the militarists would
be unseated and democratic, anti
Fascist government installed. But
that expectation has not been full
filled. An admittedly free election
has been held, and the indicated re-
suit is decisive victory for Peron
and his supporters. The coalition
candidate, favored and supported by
this Government, DR.. Jose Tambo-
rini, polled a very substantial popu-
lar vote, but, with only half the bal
lots counted, even he comedies that
there appears little hope of victory"
In this situation the Government
OF the United States must decide
upon course of action. At the one
extreme, it might persist in its effoft
to discredit Peron and in its support
OF his opponents. But there are
many objections to this. Barring an
unforeseen upset, the Argentine peo-
pie have freely chosen Colonel Peron
as their President. To continue an
effort to undermine him now would
not only fly in the face of the wishes
OF a majority of the people of Argen-
tina, but would be fragrant viola
ton OF our own proclaimed policy of
nonintervention in the internal af-
fairs OF other countries. It would
also be an exceedingly hazardous
policy, considering such things as
the growing economic relations be-
tween Argentina and other Latin
American countries, Britain's need
to do business with the Argentines,
and the not unimportant fact that
Russia, while clamoring for Francois
scalp in Spain as Nazi collaboration,
is sending trade mission to Buenos
Aires. At the other extreme, we
might decide to swallow an exceed
ingly bitter pill and seek without fur
ther delay to make the best adjust
ment that we can obtain with the
Peron regime. But this, too, has its
thorny aspects, not the least of them
being the length to which we have
gone in denouncing Peron as a foe of
democracy.
Presumably an effort will be made
to find some middle course, and even
this will be no simple matter. For we
are in the unhappy position in our
own Western Hemisphere family of
having staked a great deal, possibly
more than we could afford to risk. on
the wrong horse.