Evening star., 1946-04-04
Blue Book BIunder
Blamed on 'Leftists'
Administration Error Realized
By Latin America, Says Writer
BY David Laurence


By David Laurence,
More than meets the eye is contained
In the statement Of Francisco Castillo
Najera, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Mexico, that the United States has not
proved its case in the so-called Blue
Book" condemning the Peron regime
in Argentina. .s.
Senor Najera used to be Mexican AM
bassador to the United States and is at
present representing his country on the
UNO Security Council. He was present
at the San Francisco Conference last
year when the Latin American nations
won their fight to have Argentina ad-
mitted to UNO. He knows the back
openly takes the position that the
Washington administration made mis-
take and he reveals that the other gov
ernments did not see fit to approve the
Blue Book.
This is startling revelation OF the
disagreement that has prevailed among
pan-American nations concerning recent
trends in the Byrnes-Braden policies to-
ward Argentina.
Error in Judgment.
When Mr.. Braden began his public
speeches in Buenos Aires and when Sec
retary Byrnes listened to the emotional
arguments of "left-wingers'' and in ef-
feet repudiated the policy of the late
President Roosevelt toward the Argen-
tine problem, a serious error in judg-
ment was made.
There is no doubt that the Peron re-
gime had Axis backing and no doubt
either that 1t has proceeded along fas-
clstic and totalitarian lines. The recent
election was easy to win because the
stage was prepared by nearly two years
OF strong-arm tactics inside Argentina.
But the Washington Government stuck
its neck out. 1t insisted on playing a
lone game instead of acting only in
unison with other pan-American coun-
tries.
Most Of the errors can be attributed
to the Misrepresentation by the Cleft
wing" press in this country Of what ac-
tually happened at San Francisco. The
plan OF the late President Roosevelt to
recognize the Farrell regime and to ad-
nit it to the family of pan-American
nations once more was put in writing
and was initiated by "FDR." Neverthe-
less when the San Francisco Conference
came, the charge was made by the cleft
wing that so-called "appeasers" in the
State Department made the policy in
| opposition to the wishes OF Mr.. R,oose-
! welt.
Nothing could have been further
| from the truth. The United States dele
CATION was unanimous in getting be-
hind the proposal to admit Argentina.
| What wasn't generally realized was that
the Latin nations pressed for that very
action and wanted Argentina to be
made member of the San Francisco
| Conference. The left Wingers" have
| never accepted that explanation. 1t is to
be hoped they will read between the
lines of the Najera statement now and
see how far they have wrongly In
f1uenced the Truman-Byrnes admins
tration:
Full Effect Of BIunder.
No good was served by needing the
State Department and forcing It out on
a limb. Only the amateurs who know
nothing OF the history and background
OF Latin American affairs could have
suggested such course. Sumner Wellss,
from the very beginning, has been eter-
nally right in opposition to any unilat-
eral policy with respect to Argentina.
Now the full effect Of the blunder Is
coming to the surface. The prestige of
the United States in Latin America has
been damaged. Great Britain has de-
cllned to 60 along with our policy and
has made friends with the Peron regime
and will shortly recognize it. The Brit
ish commercial interests in Argentina
will capitalize on the mistake made by
Washington.
Word comes that Russia may send q
trade mission to Buenos Aires. The Pc
ron group wants to make a deal with
Russia. Yet the Soviets fought at San
Francisco against admitting Argentina
and called it fascist state.
The whole episode suggests that Presi-
dent Truman and Mr.. Byrnes listened
to cleft wing" clamor instead of calmly
examining the facts, and turned out OF
the State Department last year the very
men who were really striving to get rid
Of Fascism in Argentina in the only
effective way it could be done-by COL
lective action and collective pressure by
all the pan-American states