Evening star., 1949-03-06


with the Latin American tradition
of right of political asylum. Ordi-
narily his action would have re-
suited in diplomatic agreement
between the Peruvian and Colom-
bian governments, by which the
political leader would have been
given safe conduct out OF the
country. But the feeling against
him, on the part of both the mill
tary and the conservatives, is so
bitter that Odria and the junta
have refused him a visa and are
demanding that he be turned over
to the government for trial. The
Colombian government, so far. has
refused to accede to this demand.
Whatever the ultimate outcome.
the first government elected by
anything resembling the popular
vote of all classes and political
groups is thing of the past. The
junta is now talking about elec-
tions. but with the largest organ
lied political element in the nation
banned from public life, any elec-
ton is likely to be a strictly con-
servative not to say a military
affair.
Outside Influence CHARGED
There have been many charges
that the Odria regime is a crea-
ture of outside influence, inspired
by the Peronista movement in
Argentina. 1t is difficult to find
any evidence of direct connection
with outside forces, although there
are indications of the friendliest
relations between members of the
junta and the Argentine military.
President Odria himself visited
Buenos Aires a short time before
the revolt, as a guest of the Ar
gentine government, and returned
home wearing the highest Argen-
tine decoration.
In his first speech after the
overthrow of Bustamante. Odria
spoke in the highest terms of the
Peronista movement and ex-
pressed the hope that he could
put into practice in Peru many OF
the social reforms that Peron has
instituted in Argentina. In fact,
he began Immediately to court
labor and the cholos, much in the
manner of Peron's solicitous con-
Germ for the descamisadoS, as he
had dubbed the unskilled workers
Of Argentina. A number Of Odria's
first DEGREES required large busi-
ness concerns to raise wages ano
grant larger social benefits to al
classes of workers.
Sonora de Odria, first lady o1
Peru. has even embarked. some
Peruvians say. much against hel
will, on campaign to win the
support of the cholos and the
working classes, with somewhat
the same zeal that Sonora de
Peron in Argentina campaigns
among the descamisados. In g
recent whirlwind tour, Sonora de
Odria and her party would swoor
down by airplane upon remote
cities and towns and tell the
amazed populace what the new
regime intends to do for them.
Accusations Denied
But some of the most influential
Conservatives behind the scenes
assured me that there is no truth
in the charges of Argentine in
f1uence. They profess to see nc
significance in Odria's visit tc
Buenos Areas a few weeks before
the revolt, nor even in Sonora de
Odria's activities among the
cholos and working classes. As
one of them put it, Numbers OF
your generals and military lead
ers have visited Buenos Aires re-
Gently and have been wined, dineo
and decorated by Peron. And" he
went on, why should it seem sc
strange that our Presidents wife
or Sonora de Peron for that mat
ter, should go out and show an in
terest In the conditions and well
fare of the poor and unfortunate?
Your Mrs. Roosevelt was the out
spoken champion of the under
privileged long before Sonora de
Peron of Argentina came up or
the scene. Your newspapers and