Evening star., 1962-08-27
By GEORGE SHERMAN
star Staff Writer

star Staff Writer
BUENOS AIRES.-It was a
surprisingly quiet afternoon in
the Avellaneda workers district
Of the capital.
Quiet-becauSe a general
strike was on, one of the sew
eral called by Peronist trade
union leaders since the military
denied them the governorships
and congressional seats won in
elections last March.
All the meat packing plants
and miles of docks along the
muddy River Plate we're closed
tight. But the cobbleStone
streets were deserted. No pick
cts. no crowds of demonstrators
were on hand.
About the only sign Of other
than usual activity was the
large crowd of people watching
an impromptu soccer match.
The two teams with their op-
posing partiSanS maneuvered
up and down the unkempt
green promenade in front of
los villas micerias"-the tar
paper and wood shacks which
pass for houses in outlying
areas of crowded BuenoS Aires.
The police have all the arms
and tear gas, and they have
forbidden demonstrations" ex-
planned Geronimo Izetta, local
Peronist leader Of municipal
workers.
But the strike had been sue
ceSSful throughout the indus
trial areas of the country. he
said land other observers
agreed. despite the apparently
normal appearance of shop
ping and commercial centers
of Buenos Aires.
Gentle Looking
Geronimo Izetta is a father
ly, gentle e-looking man with a
bushy muStache not quite to
the handle-bar stage. He talked
in the dim. muSty interior of
a local cafe, sheltered behind
dusty venetian blinds and
caught between huge triangles
of gold, red and green painted
on the walls.
In keeping with the rest OF
the city, this workers cafe imi-
tated its Paris cousin - the
workers cafe of the Red belt
around the French capital. In
Buenos Aires, as in Paris, work
ers sit around in shirt sleeves
playing cards and slipping
cheap cognac with coffee.
Geronimo spoke simply but
well. The government was ly-
ing, and so was Minister OF
Economy Alvaro Alsogoray
when they said all is peaceful
in Argentina. Over 100000
workers had been laid off. More
factories were closing because
the government had restricted
vital imports to end the deficit
in foreign trade.
wages of municipal work
ers have not been raised in two
years, but prices have more
than doubled" he said. Some
pensions have not been paid in
two years. The welfare fund is
bankrupt. And even if paid
many pensions are only SOC
pesos a month" (about 81 a
MONTH.
The return Of ex-dictator
Juan Peron was the only an
Swer. only he can make Ar
genines sacrifice" continued
Geronimo. He grows old in
Spanish exile, but he is still
strong. He is still the leader OF
social revolution in this coun-
try"
CoIdiarS Eaarad
But would the PeronistE
fight? Would they fight the
military high command which
is fanatically determined tha'
the dictator it ousted in 1876;
shall never return?
I'VE are opposed to force.
he answered. The people livu
in fear of the soldiers and thei
bayonets."
He paused for emphasis.
But if we are cornered lik
a cat, we will have no othe
choice. We will turn and fight!
Across town in a more fash
ionable cafe another leade
later gave a different and NOR
sophisticated explanation o
Peronist tactics. Dressed triml
in fashionable black-complet