Evening star., 1954-05-25
Reds Now Hold
Latin Redoubt,
Dulles Warns
1890 Tons of Arms
In Guatemala Shift
BoIonce of Power
By Jones {. Roper

tOOny OIldb bIlC SIllpueQC OF HeQ
arms to Guatemala could be in
tended to build up q COmmu-
nist-dominated strongpoint near
the Panama Canal.
He warned, however, that any
Guatemalan invasion Of a neigh
bor can be expected to be met
by prompt, decisive action from
other American republics, includ-
ing the United States.
Secretary Dulles gave this grim
appraisal of the Central Ameri-
can situation during a lengthy
news conference discussion of the
recent shipment of 1890 tons of
arms from behind the Iron Cur
tain. He said this shipment
gave Guatemala a tremendous
military advantage over its
neighbors.
The Secretary said that the
arms arriving at Guatemala
were probably worth $40 million,
compared with a value of about
100000 on each shipment of
arms which the United States
disclosed yesterday that it has
flown to Honduras and Mica
ragua. Honduras lies next to
Guatemala and Nicaragua lies
on the other side of Honduras.
Consultations Under Way.
Secretary Dulles said anew
that creation of a Communist
state in Guatemala would be a
threat to the security of the
Western Hemisphere, as defined
by the recent Caracas Confer
ence, which called for collective
action whenever this hemisphere
is threatened. The Secretary
added that consultations on pos
sible invocation of the Caracas
arrangement and the Rio de
Janiero Treaty of 1947 are under
way and some American states
stand ready to call for collec-
tive action If further develop
ments justify.
He said the United States
would expect to comply with the
letter and spirit of the arrange
ment for collective action.
It was in answer to a question
that Secretary Dulles said that
one possible object Of the arms
shipment to Guatemala could be
to build up a bastion under Com
domination near the
Panama Canal.
In a statement he read at the
opening Of the news conference.
DR.. Dulles said: 1.-THE Guate-
malan nation and people as
whole are not Communists"
Soviet Has Only Per Cent Reds.
"They are predominantly pa
triotic people who do not want
their nation to be dominated by
any foreign power" Mr.. Dulles
continued. However, it must be
borne in mind that the Com
munists always operate in terms
of small minorities who gain
positions of power. In Soviet
Russia itself. only about 8 per
cent Of the people are Commu-
niStS."
Mr.. Dulles said it was signifi-
cant that Guatemala is the only
American state that has not
completed ratification of the Rio
treaty, voted against a Caracas
resolution condemning COM
munism in this hemisphere, and
has received arms from behind
the Iron Curtain.
ut has been suggested from
Guatemala that it needs more
ornaments for Defense" Secre-
tary Dulles continued. Already
Guatemala is the heaviest armed
of all the Central American
states.
Can Dominate Area.
"Its military establishment is
three to four times that of its
neighbors, such as Nicaragua,
Honduras or Ell Salvador.
"By this arms shipment (to
from the Iron Cur
tain) a government in which
Communist influence is very
strong has come into a position
to dominate militarily the Cen
tral American area. Already the
Guatemalan government has
made gestures against its neigh
bors which they deem to be
threatening and which have led
them to appeal for aid.
1.-THE Guatemalan government
boasts that it is not a colony of
the United States. We are proud
that Guatemala can honestly
say that. The United States is
not in the business of collecting
colonies.
"The important question Is
whether Guatemala is subject to
Communist colonialism, which
already has subjected 800 mil
lion people to its despotic rule.
The extension Of Communist
colonialism to this hemisphere
would. in the words of the Cara
cas- resolution, endanger the
peace of America"
Yesterdays announcement that
arms are being airlifted to Mic
aragua and Honduras, evoked q
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