Evening star., 1963-04-30
ALLIANCE
Continued From Page Al

OVAAShuuCu EtOh A"sS
respectability. They can and
do impose law and order where
necessary against anarchy and
left extremism.
On the other side, these same
admirals and generals are
proteges of privilege. One Of
the traditional rewards OF pro-
motion is status and wealth
dealt out by the entrenched ci-
william obligarchies. Consequent
ly military law and order be-
come synonymous with the very
social injustice which breeds
mass revolution.
Somehow you people in the
north have the idea that our
military leaders all come from
the wealthy classes" said a
young aspiring banker in Lima,
Peru. ut simply is not so. They
start from the lower middle
classes. Captains here earn so
little that many have to have
an outside Job. Many lower
officers earn less than taxi
drivers"
The banker slipped his whisky
as we sat in the bar of one Of
those ultra-exclusive English"
clubs which are the hallmark
of privilege in Lima.
But once an officer gains
promotion, he gains power. And
with power he becomes import
ant. He can get a fine home,
a fine car and a good salary.
He is essential to stability"
Across town an opposition
politician in the APRA party
arch-enemy of the military
put a different face on military
psychology.
1.-THE military is the same in
every country and in every
age," he said. Their profession
is to make war, to use force.
Young officers may start off as
liberals, but they grow up and
get promoted. Then they think
just like the generals before
them"
U. S. Diplomatic Goal
United States diplomacy in
Latin America at the moment
aims at exploding this pessi-
mistic thesis. 1t is a delicate
balancing act. The strategy is
to wean the Latin military
away from its "dictator's COM
plex" without at the same time
weakening its will and ability
to combat lawlesSness.
The main tactic is to con-
centrate United States military
aid on developing a spirit of
strict military professionalism
outside the political arena.
Ranking Latin-American Off
GERS are sent on training
courses in the United States.
High commands, such as that
in Argentina, have been en-
couraged to reorganize the
army from top to bottom so as
to promote modern efficiency
and cut costs and size.
The United States is also
subsidizing "civic action" pro-
grams such as sewer-building,
bodybuilding, nutrition feed
ing by the Latin military. These
programs help emphasize the
social responsibilities of the
armed forces, and improve their
public image.
At the same time, the cost Of
all United States military as
siStance has been limited to SIS
million per year. Drastic cut
backs have come in spectacular
heavy military hardware which
formerly buttressed the image of
naked power against unarmed
civilians but which 81 useless
for continental defense in this
nuclear day and age.
According to Secretary of
Defense Mcnamara. before the
House Armed Services Commit
tee last January, fully half of
the SIS million now goes to-
ward equipment and training
against a internal Communist
subversion.
The Case Of Argentina
This whole approach is cal
culated to appeal to the new
breed of officers-"men Of their
40s"-who are coming to the
fore In the Latin American
military. Prime example is Brig.
Gen. Juan Carlos Ongania,