Evening star., 1952-09-19
Observer.
chiIe's New President

In the recent presidential election in
Chile, which has become the subject Of
great deal Of editorial comment in the
United States. some unfair, some mac
curate. and most of it detrimental and
misinformed, the final count resulted as
follows: Senator Carlos Ibanez. 6,345:
Senator Arturo Matte, 257,066; Senior
Pedro Enrique Alfonso, 1877 ,044; Senator
Salvador Allende, 52.348.
Thus, Senator Ibanez obtained ap-
proximately 180 900 more votes than the
next second candidate. The total vote of
Senator Ibanez amounted to almost as
many as the other three candidates
together.
This was the first election in which
women exercised the right Of suffrage.
An analysis appears to disclose that the
independent vote was q large factor in
the Ibanez victory. Chilean newspapers
and foreign correspondents in Chile re-
port the election as exemplary, with no
disorder, no government interference,
and no buying Of influence.
Our President, great democrat. issued
the following official statement for the
morning papers Of September 5, IL hours
after the results were known:
TN giving account of the political and
administrative state Of the nation to the
National Congress. meeting in joint SeS-
sion on May 81, last. voiced my sim
cere hope that -calmneSS of spirit would
prevail in the elections called to select
my successor in the supreme power of
the nation, and that nothing would dis
turb the free operation of our democratic
institutions.
1T is because this has been. at every
moment. my most fervent desire as Pres
ident and as citizen, that have learned
with great pleasure Of the democratic at
titude Of the candidates, Messrs. Alfonso
and Matte, in publicly recognizing the
victory won by their opponent at the
polls. This statement, which honors our
democracy. clearly means that the poll
election win ratify In the National Con-
gress the relative majority OF the winning
candidate, Senor Ibanez.
II am pleased, also, at the way in
which this election has been conducted,
because the victory gained by the candi-
date. Ibanez. is proof Of the fairness of
the acts Of the government, the armed
forces and the Carabineers Estate police)
whose duty was to see that the rights of
citizens were respected. There is only
needed now the simple constitutional ac-
ton of the Congress in Joint Session to
make the victor at the polls the constitu-
tional President Elect.
AT this time wish to repeat the state
ment made to the joint session Of the
Congress on the date aforementioned
that pledge my honor as q citizen and
Chilean to protect the lawful rights Of
my successor. And I add at this time,
that will offer all means to turn over
to Senor Carlos Ibanez, the supreme
power of the nation with the dignity
that our democratic culture and the re-
sponsibility Of the high office OF the
presidency merits's
Candidate Senior Matte said III part:
The results Of the presidential elec-
ton reveal q strong voting majority
that. in my opinion. may not be denied"
Candidate Senior Alfonso commented:
I'm view OF the returns Of the presi-
Dental election already known to the
country. must loyalty recognize that
Gen. Senor Ibanez has obtained an In
disputable democratic victory"
On the day following the election, His
Eminence. the Archbishop of Santiago,