Small Potatoes

It is significant that the righteous [in Argentina] use the same word to describe a loose woman and a revolutionary political thinker--"liberal."

The righteous, according to U.S. Author Sax Bradford (The Battle for Buenos Aires), are the wealthy old landowning families who dominate Argentine political affairs, almost always in opposition to the will of the middle-class majority.

Last week the righteous were learning that their newborn revolution bore no prenatal taint of promiscuity, nor was it cursed by any desire to upset political tradition. It was a healthy little revolution; there was no need to tag it "liberal." If there had been fears in some quarters, obviously they were unfounded. All signs were reassuring to the righteous. During the week President Pedro Ramirez stepped out boldly and:

> Called off the September presidential election.

> Confirmed the dissolution of Congress.

>Decreed that the government should no longer be referred to as "provisional."

>Decreed intervention* in each of the 14 provinces.

> Moved from his apartment into the presidential residencia.

>Sent the last troops back to Campo de Mayo barracks.

> Opened discussions toward reducing the cost of sugar.

> Launched an investigation into potato speculation.

> Announced that Argentina was dickering to get 36,000 tons of oilfield equipment from the U.S.

In Brazil, first of the South American countries to declare war against Germany, there were angry protests against the prospect of the U.S. using scarce shipping space to send equipment and supplies, which were sorely needed in Brazil, to neutral Argentina. Washington said the equipment deal was a preposterous Argentine proposal. The U.S., it seemed, was not planning to do any favors for the Ramirez government until it broke with the Axis.

In Buenos Aires Pedro Ramirez was asked if he considered himself a democrat. Said he: "What Argentina is, I am."

*Under the Argentine constitution the President may appoint interventors (federal representatives) to replace elected province governors.

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