Student Spree

Newly democratic Guatemala's university students went on a long-awaited rampage last week. Fourteen years ago Dictator Jorge Ubico had savagely suppressed their traditional Eastertide "Huelga Estudiantil" (Students' Strike); now at last, in the liberal light of President Juan Jose Arevalo's regime, it roared its way through the laugh-hungry city. Now there was at least twice the oldtime noise, fun, bawdiness.

Funds for the fiesta had been begged by students bearing chamber pots. They paid for scurrilous floats and costumes, and an unmerciful kidding that spared nobody, friend or foe. Some of the victims:

President Arevalo. His enemies had whispered that he was pro-Argentine because of his long exile in Argentina. So the "strike" featured Gaucho costumes. With a syrupy Argentine accent, a student representing the President wooed a girl named "Guayaba" (tropical fruit, slang for the Presidency). When Guayaba hiked her skirts, she showed a label: "The Treasury." President Arevalo himself watched and laughed.

U.S. Central American Policy. Uncle Sam drove five Indians, representing the five Central American republics, across a stage. The Indians were loaded with shackles labeled "Bananas," "Fixed [coffee] Prices," "The Railroad." Although the Great Good Neighbor cracked his whip, he cooed to the slaves: "I am your friend."

The British. Guatemala's new constitution claims Belize (British Honduras). A banner cried: "Principles of the Atlantic Charter: to live without fear, want and Belize."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.