Conversation In the Ballroom

Swinging through Central America and Mexico last week, indefatigable Assistant Secretary of State Edward G. Miller Jr. paid the last of his "courtesy calls to all of the countries in my new job." As on the four other tours he has made since taking charge of U.S. hemisphere relations last year, Diplomat Miller handled himself well, impressed a lot of people by his straight talk. In Guatemala, Miller delivered some of his most telling lines.

No Small Talk. U.S.-Guatemalan relations have been strained since March, when Guatemala's leftish government asked the U.S. to recall Ambassador Richard C. Patterson because of his alleged "intervention" in Guatemalan affairs (TIME, April 17). Miller politely called on the Guatemalan Foreign Minister, who politely took him for a tour of the President's lavish, pea-green palace. Just as Miller was inspecting the ornate ballroom, President Juan Jose Arevalo strode in.

Without waiting for introductions, tall, massive Arevalo grasped Miller's hand and welcomed him to Guatemala. If Miller expected small talk, he was in for a surprise. "Mr. Secretary," said Arevalo bluntly, "Ambassador Patterson conspired with my political enemies."

"I don't know," replied Miller, "but I doubt it very seriously. Ambassador Patterson was seriously concerned, as any good American would be, by the daily outflow of anti-American propaganda in your official press . . . There are Communists in your government . . ."

"Yes, Mr. Miller," replied Arevalo, "there are Communists in my government, but they have little influence ... I have temporized because I want to be Guatemala's first democratic president--[but] in any emergency I will eliminate Communists from key positions within 24 hours."

Miller thanked the President for Guatemala's prompt support of U.N. action in Korea, but added: "I cannot help but lament that an official paper [Diario de la Manana] has adopted the Communist line on the Korean war."

At a press conference later, a reporter--referring to Patterson--complained that the U.S. had sent Guatemala "an ambassador who speaks not one word of Spanish." Retorted Puerto Rico-born Miller in fluent Spanish: "I can name you seven Latin American ambassadors in Washington who speak not one word of English."

No Banderillas. In Mexico City, a good many papers were all set to sink their editorial banderillas into the Secretary's neck. But Miller won over the press in practically no time. He held several press conferences, attended the U.S. Embassy's Fourth of July party (only slightly dampened by a torrential rainstorm, which caused the Swiss minister to arrive barefoot, holding his socks and shoes). To celebrate the Fourth, Mexican schoolchildren put on a special gymnastic show. Before he went off for a well-earned holiday on Acapulco's beaches, Miller paid a courtesy call on Mexico's President, pronounced Miguel Alem`an "simpatico."

A lot of Latin Americans had found Eddie Miller simpatico too.

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