Evening star., 1949-11-28
Truqi-Comedy at Punumu

Trogi-Comedy at Panama
The Caribbean basin is traditionally
notorious for its al fresco politics, but the
tiny Republic Of Panama has probably set
record for mingled force and chicanery
in its current mix-up, which produced
three Presidents in five days-with perhaps
more to come. If the implications were
not so serious, its farcical aspects might
make us shrug it of with a laugh as just
another of those comic-opera revolutions
which regaled our fathers at time when
we could afford to disregard what hap
pened to the southwark.
Unfortunately, those free-and-easy days
have been replaced by a sterner epoch
wherein flouting of democratic ideals and
processes anywhere in this Hemisphere Is
of concern to us. And we have a special
interest in Panama, owing to our control
of the vital inter- oceanic waterway that
bisects the Republics territory. Political
conditions so deplorable as those now re-
vealed there cannot be lightly considered.
Our State Department puts the matter
aptly when it announces that the course
of events in Panama comes as profound
shock" which cannot but be a most
serious blow to the progress of democratic
principles and to our inter-American
system in general"
The imbroglio arose out Of a sordid
episode which had nothing to do with
political principles or legitimate party
politics. The legal President, DR.. Chanis,
attempted to bring to book the Chief OF
Police, Colonel Remon, and his lieutenants
for their allegedly illegitimate transactions
in bus and abbatoir franchises. The
Colonel promptly mobilized his tough,
well-equipped police, which is Panamas
sole armed force, and forced the President
to resign at gun-point, installing In his
stead Vice-President CHAR. But when this
coup came up for consideration before
Congress, DR.. Chanis made dramatic
appearance, disavowed his enforced resig-
nation, and declared himself still Presi-
dent, this claim being confirmed by the
Supreme Court.
However, this did not bother Colonel
Remon. Popular demonstrations for Chants
were smashed by gunfire, and when CHAR
bowed to the Supreme Courts verdict,
new Remon candidate was trotted out. He
was none other than DR.. Arnulfo Arias, a
demagogue who for years has been the
stormy petrol Of Panama politics. His claim
was "legitimized" when the National Elec-
tion Jury was brought to declare that DR..
Arias had been defrauded in the election
Of 1948 and had therefore been the legiti-
mate President ever since.
This maneuveI has installed AriaS in the
Presidential chair, not only with the back
ing of the police but also, apparently, with
the enthusiastic approval of the populace,
to whom the fiery doctor has always been
somewhat of hero. His title to popularity
arises chiefly from his exaggerated ma
tionalism, which specializes In diatribes
against the United States During his brief
presidency at the start Of World War II
he clashed repeatedly with our Canal Zone
authorities, was accused Of Nazi SYM
pathies, and acted in generally dicta-
torial manner. Deposed in 1941, he hed
to exile in Argentina, was arrested when
he returned to Panama after the war.
More recently, he has been charged with
being an instigator of revolutionary
invasion OF Panama from neighboring
Costa Rica. -t...
Such are the unsavory highlights In
the record of the man whom an autocratic
police chief has made President Of
Panama. It remains to be seen what will
be the attitude of the United States and
other nations OF this Hemisphere toward
a regime so inducted and headed. Perhaps
the civic consciousness of the Panamanian
people will itself challenge this brazen
defrauding of their liberties. That would
certainly be the happiest solution.