Monday, Oct. 26, 1953
The Acid Test
In Washington last week, John Moors Cabot, President Eisenhower's top Latin America hand, outlined an important new U.S. policy toward the other American republics. "No regime which is openly playing the Communist game can expect from us the positive cooperation we normally seek to extend to all of our sister republics." the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs told a meeting of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.
Although Cabot did not state it quite so explicitly, the converse was evident: the U.S. is prepared to cooperate with and aid any established non-Red government, regardless of its nature. Said Cabot: "We cannot take the attitude that ... it is wrong for Soviet Russia to impose Communism on foreign nations but permissible for us to impose democracy on them, that ... we can afford to feud with every government whose internal politics do not altogether meet our approval."
By implication, Cabot applied the overriding test for a government--is it Red? --to three nations much in the news:
Argentina. President Juan Peron has "made it clear he wished for good relations with the United States," said Cabot. "In today's world. Argentine and United States interests coincide far more than they clash . . . [Peron has] told us that Argentine friendship has no price tag on it."
The U.S. has tried friendship with Peron before--only to have him attack U.S. policy or outrage U.S. opinion by wrecking the great newspaper La Prensa. Peron has even played footie. off & on. with one faction or another of Argentina's Communists. But this week, in a filmed interview for U.S. television, he said: "It would be a most dangerous problem for any of our countries if a government in Latin America . . became Communistic." In that mood, Peron clearly passes the test.
Guatemala. "We find it difficult," Cabot said, "to be patient, after all the blood and treasure we have poured out in Korea to safeguard the free world, when the official Guatemalan newspaper follows the Communist line by accusing us in effect of bacteriological warfare." Guatemala fails the test, and can expect no help.
Bolivia. The U.S. had to make "strong representations" protesting the seizure of tin mines, partly owned in the U.S.. by the revolutionary government of President Paz Estenssoro. But, said Cabot, "we believe it is sincere in desiring social progress and in opposing Communist imperialism." Bolivia passes, and will soon get $5,.000,000 in Foreign Operations Administration "famine relief" food and $4,000,000 from other FOA funds.
Argentina received Cabot's speech with rejoicing. At the annual Loyalty Day demonstration in Buenos Aires' Plaza de Mayo, often a blow-off of anti-U.S. oratory, Peron said last week: "I should like to exalt the great personality of General Eisenhower, who with a magnificent gesture of friendship sent his brother* to unify and solidify the bonds of our peoples. I am the happiest of men at this result." In a front-page editorial entitled
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. CABOT, the Peronista paper La Epoca wrote: "A friendly handshake after a prolonged misunderstanding ... is often worth as much as a good liver treatment." In Guatemala, the Communist Tribnna Popular snarled: "Insolent intervention."
-Dr. Milton Eisenhower, who made a Latin American fact-finding trip for the President last July.
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