Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-14
FEATURE Rcz
JIM BISHOP:
REPORTER



was the foreigner The beggars in front of the old
cathedral knew it, The egess knew it. The starving
with the infants under shawls knew it. They looked from
the hot agstone passed The sgheSS raised their
noStri little girl pointed Her mother slapped the finger
This Guatemala City. 1t sits mile in the sky.
surrounded by dead volcanoes like seed in an archoke
The breeze cool and soft and permanent and it works its
the path of the white At night iron shutters
down front of the shops and the families sleep
in the doorways
The time was 5 pm. the main square. marimba
band played Goandrna and the palm trees lay in long
blue shadows all pointing the front of the 18th Cen
Cathedral The presidential palace big and green sat
and the long cascadng staways like ant colonies
My appointment was with the president I had time
The walk from Las Beatus de Been had been good The
prison the Communists had killed the prisoners looked
like Spanish type movie house 1t tall and 1t made
of tan stucco with trim. Near the embassy was the
bowling alleys.
Three Closes Of People
There three kinds of people The Indians came to
the city barefooted and masked in copper races with eyes
the color and size of damondback raers They fas
cnated by shoesores and they looked long and in silent
amusement at footwear and prices
Then there were the meszos part indian part Spanish
and these made the bulk of Guatemala They owned the
small businesses the shops and they were the
The Spaniards aoof the others They the
coffee incas They had the They ordered pink
Cadacs and when spring broke the rocky lanes Of
the plantations, they put it in shed and ordered new
and then cannibazed the old for parts Their wives
and children spent part of each in Madrid and in
Rome
walked up the steps of palace block square
in size and hollow inside. The interior huge court
WIN garoenS ana all OF OceS Ironeo on inferior
balcony Soldiers in tan uniforms everywhere. Their
holsters unsnapped The Indians and the meszos
from everywhere to have word with FL Presidente
He them all.
The President Is Ready
At sos pm. they still standing, many rags in a
long the second floor Castillo word
for to in. AT the door soldiers with
bines. I smiled They didn't. The big green doors
flung back and in his Office. He got up from behind
desk. little Charlie Chaplin of man. and he to me
with his hand out.
you speak SPANISH" he said
mo" said. You speak English. Mr.. PRESIDENT"
"No." he said. "a word maybe. We will get along"
A colonel stood behind him. Senior Castillo Armas waved
him out Maybe said The interpret? The president
shook his head He pointed to big couch sat He sat
We struggled with English like two choolboys printing
other for tomorows classes He told about his revolution
He small and and he hated Communists
he had no fear of them They towards he insisted The
the doctrine and when don't believe in something you
cannot fight well for it, If leader runs everybody runs
Too Many Soldiers Around
said many soldiers outside his ONCE He said yes
Too Everywhere he went there soldiers
Arnas did not like to so But the army chiefs
insisted that the presidents life must be guarded the
Communists.
He suffered soldiers told him that had worked on
book about the assassination OF President Lincoln in nv
country. He smiled sadly
mo protect he said Realistically Soldiers everywhere
someone kill easy" said yes told him Lincoln had
said that If assassin wanted trade his life
that OF the President he could kill time took
three repeats for Castillo Armas to understand
Then his eyes lit yes" he said noddng rapidly
held two fingers. One for one" got up to leave MY
notes were stuffed in pocket He put his hand on my
shoulder Anybody KILL he said The doors swung
open Two soldiers stood before him. Even these he said
softly.
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