Round Refusal

A fortnight ago the world received calmly the news that General Juan Vicente Gomez had been unanimously re-elected President of Venezuela. To every black-eyed Venezuelan boy it has been one of the fixed and immutable facts of life that ancient, crafty, blue-spectacled Gomez is and ever shall be President of Venezuela, as he has been for 20 years.

But last week from his stock farm at Maracay, President Gomez unexpectedly wired his Congress: "I cannot accept the high charge."

A committee of businessmen and incredulous newsgatherers rushed to Maracay. The businessmen begged the Dictator-President to reconsider. The newsmen waited confidently for the grand scene of "reluctant" acquiescence. But at the end of an hour-long conference, out dashed the newsmen to the Maracay telegraph office. The quickest one cabled:

OBTAINED ROUND REFUSAL STOP GENERAL RESOLVED TO SHOW THAT COUNTRY HAS DEVELOPED OTHER MEN TO UNDERTAKE GOVERNMENT.