Evening star., 1947-03-05

So far as the government Of Gen.
Juan Domingo Peron is concerned
Uncle Sam is no longer the symbol Of
the United States. Uncle George has
succeeded Uncle Sam and Uncle George
Is Ambassador George Strausser Mes
sernith.
The technique of fiattery by mass
demonstration has been brought to q
high peak in Buenos Aires and Ambas-
sador Messersmith recently received the
full impact of such joy on returning to
Argentina from the United States. He
was awaited at the Moron Airport by
a throng of Argentines who managed to
get out there, an hours drive from
the center of the city, in a feet Of
by grateful government. The greeters
were headed by President Peron and
members of the cabinet.
For hours before the arrival of the
plane the crowd milled around, yelling
for Peron, shouting for Messersmith,
and damning Spruille ,Braden, United
States Assistant Secretary of State, as
the symbol of Yankee imperialism" :"
The chief of federal police, Gen. ].
Filomeno Valagio, said to me, "Ambas-
sador Messersmith is very dear to us"
In the meantime, loudspeakers were an
nouncing the approach of the plane.
bells changed and the spirit of carnival
prevailed.
Vociferous Peron Press.
AL this was climax Of feverish
press campaign in the government news
papers. They had followed every move
made in Washington, in the corridors
of the State Department and the White
House. Ambassador Messersmith's
Washington sojourn Of six weeks was
for the Peron press time Of travail.
Marshall must decide between G.
Messersmith and Spruille Braden,"
headlined La Epocal across its front
page. It described the "clean political
trajectory Of Messersmith" and the
final blackmail of Braden" who had
offered his pro forma resignation when
Secretary Byrnes stepped down. These
are days of rejoicing for Argentina"
said the same paper, when it was an
nounced that Messersmith was on his
way back,
AS the Messersmith plane approached
Buenos Aires, back in the city g. group
Of American citizens who represented
e1lC 11llC44 4Sdli Il CoCA dUlOll VI 4ldDOl dllu
Railway Labor Executive Association
were recuperating, nlomentarily from
the effects of lavish hospitality of gov
+ernment officials and equally lavish hos
pitality at the hands of government
newspapers. They were in no mood to
join the welcoming throng. They would
see the Ambassador later and could pro-
vide himFWith quite a budget Of news.
Invited to Argentina by the Argen-
tine government and the CGT (the
Argentine Federation of Labor this
labor delegation had come in good faith,
they announced, ito conduct our own
survey We intend to see and talk to
any one and every one who can contrib
ute to a better understanding on our
part Of the matters in which we are
interested. The labor organizations
which we represent sent us here be-
cause of their deep and abiding interest
in the promotion of higher labor stand
ards for all the workers in the Western
Hemisphere We believe in unity among
the nations of the Americas and in
unity among the free labor movements
of the American nations"
Tells Off Labor Group.
1IlaG was Cne prospectus OF the Trip,
which was translated into Spanish for
the Argentine newspapers. Proceeding
to pay their respects to President Peron
the day of arrival, they found him pub
hcly genial. But in private he proceeded
TO take off the gloves. He resented, he
said, their intention to hold an "investi-
gacion." This word may mean ire
search" or Study" but it might also
imply, as Peron said, an investigation"
in police sense. He wanted them to
know, he said, that they did not come to
investigate" but to "fraternize." He
said, I'm this country, the government
represents labor. And 7 am the first
worker of the land-el prin1ero trabdja-
dor del pals. If this situation does not
please you, shall be glad to order your
plane made ready and return you to the
United States" The delegation, how
ever stayed, and proceeded to carry out
IT'S survey.
Following this reception, the govern
ment press took up the cudgels in be-
half Of the president. One of the AFL
representatives was singled out for
attack because it was discovered that