Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-05-09
Trouble in Panama

Although it is supposed to be constitu-
tional democracy, Panama, like number OF
other countries to the south of us, has what
seems to be an almost congenital tendency to
engage periodically in dictatorial political ex-
cesSes. Accordingly, since its history is studded
with stories of partisan violence and revolu-
tionary coups against the established order, its
present incpent crisis comes as no great sur
prise.
A similar crisis gripped Panama less than
two years ago. At that time, Colonel Jose Remon
who has great personal power because he heads
the police organization, which is the countrys
only armed force-threw out the popularity
elected President Daniel Chants, who had asked
him to resign as result of some shady business
dealings. The colonel then saw to it that the
Panamanian Congress proclaimed DR.. Arnulfo
Arias as the new President. The United States
deplored the COUP but within matter of weeks
it recognized the Arias regime and established
diplomatic relations with it.
The new trouble revolves around a sudden
spate of dictatorial DEGREES issued by DR.. AriaS.
He has suspended habeas corpus provisions, put
the judiciary on probation dissolved the national
legislature, called for new elections, and re-
placed Panama's 1916 constitution with the old
version of 1941-the version that was drafted
when he last held Office as President According
to his own explanation all this spectacular action
has been taken because the judicial and legis-
lative branches of the government have not CO.
operated sufficiently with him in coping with a
developing economic crisis and with subversive
forces serving international communism and en-
dangering "the Republic and the Canal and the
security Of the American continent"
But major opposition groups in line with a
statement by Panama's Supreme Court that DR..
AriaS is placing the country on the road to die
tatorship, have refused to swallow his talk about
Red subverSion and have demanded that the
national police force step into the picture to
restore the 1916 constitution The situation thus
seems primed for an outbreak of serious strife
a situation inviting Colonel Remon to play the
role of strong man once again, just as he did
when he tossed out President Chants in Novem-
Der, 1949, and had DR.. AriaS take over.
Just what the colonel will do, however, is
not clear at the moment But back in 1871 he
drove DR.. Arias from the presidency and the
two were political foes from then on until the
coup in 1949. DR.. Arias has made point OF
declaring that he enjoys the full cooperation OF
the national police, but there is good reason to
believe that he may be disillusioned at any hour.
For Colonel Remons own newspaper has COM
mented favorably on the opposition's demand
that the police-which he controls-be used to
countermand the Presidents DEGREES.
In any case regardless of how the situa-
ton develops, this latest tension in Panama
casts discredit on the stability of that countrys
political leadership and its devotion to orderly
constitutional processes. Beyond that, of course,
because of the vital Importance of the Canal,
trouble down there is a matter of great concern
to the United States and the whole inter- Ameri-
can community.