Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-03
GuatemaIan Public
Resents Disbandinq
OF Castillo Army
BY the Associated Pres,

oY ms AsSoetoie0 FFeS$
GUATEMALA, Aug 3.-Guate-
mala's ruling military junta or
dered President Carlos Castillo
Armas private army to disband
and 60 home today. but the ac-
ton generated rising public re-
sentiment. An American EN-
bassy spokesman said there was
q possibility Of q popular upris-
ing in the capital.
The junta ordered the dis
banding of Col. Castillo's armed
liberation army" which spanked
the overthrow of Communist
backed President Jacobo Arbenz
Guzman. after regular army
units and military academy
cadets had battled the TOO ir-s
regulars sporadically for 70
hours yesterday with mortars
and tanks.
Twelve persons were killed ard
a wounded in the battling
around Roosevelt Hospital. where
Col. Castillo's men were camped
on the outskirts of the capital.
The lighting. outgrowth of weeks
OF tension between regular troops
and the revolutionists, mush-
roomed from a dawn brawl be-
tween cadets and members of
the Presidents force.
One report said the trouble
started in a house of prostitu-
ton.
Ordered Back to Homes.
A cease-fire finally took effect
at 6:35 pm. and the TOO lib
GRAFTON army men surrendered
their arms to regular army off,
GERS. The revolutionists were
ordered to return to their homes
throughout the country today.
The junta ordered a curfew
into effect at 9 pm. and warned
that military patrols would take
drastic measures" against any
violators.
A spokesman for the Ameri-
can Embassy reported there still
was very great tension" late
last night. The Presidents
hackers were disgruntled, the
spokesman said, because the
army had forced him to break
up his insurgent army.
The American official said
Communists apparently played
no part in the violence. The
Reds tried. however, to organize
anti-government demonstrations
while the fighting was going on.
Troops loyal to the Junta
smashed all the attempts.
Castillo Firmly in Power.
Col. Castillo, who rushed back
to Guatemala from a visit to
Chimaltenango, was believed
still firmly in power. He MAIN
tanned a complete silence yester-
day. neither issuing statements
during the trouble nor after the
uneasy truce,
The army announced the
cease-f1re, which was hurriedly
negotiated by Roman Catholic
Archbishop Mariana Rossell
Arellano with the help of United
States Ambassador John E.
Peurifoy and others.
The government agreed to dis
arm and disband the liberation
army and promised that the
military cadets would not be
punished for their part in the
fighting. The regular army In
turn then guaranteed to place
itself under complete govern
ment jurisdiction.
Agreement Signed.
The agreement was signed for
the government by Maj. Enrique
Olivia, member of the three
man junta; Col. Enrique Close,
defense minister, and Col. ]. Paiz,
undersecretary of defense. Four
high officers signed for the army.
The army's announcement of
the settlement ended with
''warmest fluctuations" for the
valiant sons" of the military
academy.
AS the fighting flared, the gov
ernnment doubled the troop and
police guards around nine Latin ,
American embassies in which
about 800 supporters of the GUST
ed Arbenz regime have taken
refuge.
The Foreign Office denied ru-
mors that the uprising had been
spanked from the Mexican EN-
bassy. Arbenz and more than
800 Of the governments leftist
and Communist opponents are
crammed into the Mexican COM
wAr,vA .