Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-05-01

tor.
At San Marcos University in
Lima, the Christian Democrats
have formed student election
alliances with the Communists
TO defeat the older and strong
.er APRA group OF the demo-
cratic left.
Farther north In Venezuela,
however. Christian Democratic
students have done exactly the
opposite. At the Central Uni
versity in Caracas they are the
major opposition to the Com
munists. who still retain slim
majority control Of the student
organization. But in the past
year Christian Democratic
shock troops" with brickbats
have at last broken the man
handling grip Of Communist
gangs In the autonomous uni
versity.
In the Dominican Republic
more student warfare has bro
ken out. The university in the
capital Of Santo Domingo
closed its doors for six weeks
this spring after the dispute
over student representation in
the governing council turned
into shooting violence.
The Communists will not
accept their election defeat and
we will not accept the Com
munists, so now there are two
student organizations" said
Pedro Iturbides, twenty-year-
old law student and secretary
general OF the Social Christian
organization in the capital.
Identified With Church
Perhaps the greatest advan-
tage which Christian Demo-
Gratis have over the Communists
Is responsibility. While lacking
any official connection with the
Roman Catholic Church and
despite constant denial by
Christian Democratic leaders,
the movement Is inevitably
identified in the public mind
with the dominant church In
Latin America.
Because we baSt our call for
change on spiritual values in
stead Of pure material gain"
said Rafael Caldera. leader Of
the Christian Democratic CO.
PEI in Venezuela, people au-
tomatically associate US with
the political right"
Pope John XIII has given
this revolution from the right"
an enormous shove to the left.
His earlier encyclieal Of July.
1861. on social and economic
problems has become the credo
for Christian Democratic pro-
motion Of redistributing wealth
to serve social welfare. The pre-
viously conservative image Of
the Catholic Church in Latin
America is being dramatically
overhauled.
Training for Activists
Political activists receive
rapid-fire training at Christian
Democratic party schools. Such
a one is the institute at Los
Chorros outside Caracas. Every
month 80 to 40 young men be-
tween % and IS from all over
the continent take intensive
courses in everything from
trade union tactics to anti
Communist politics. They room
and board at the institute free
Of charge. Their professors are
often lent" by Christian DEM
ocratic movements in Europe.
National Christian Demo-
cratic leaders are the first to
admit that their movements
still have the weakness of in
fancy. Their international con-
nections outside Latin Amer
lea are under heavy attack
from nationalist and extreme
leftist politicians. Save perhaps
In Chile next year, no single
party has much prospect for
winning presidential power in
the near future.
Yet the grass-roots approach
and steady growth of Christian
Democracy make 1t a prime
democratic contender for final
ly breaking the cycle of mean
ingless politics in Latin America.
Tomorrow: The Peace Corps
at work in Peru.