The Aftermath

When Sumner Welles thrust a cool, straight blade at Argentina and Chile last fortnight for tolerating Axis spies (TIME, Oct. 19), he must have expected resentful parrying by the Governments of those countries. He got it:

The Argentine Government of President Ramon S. Castillo, whose fascistic tendency is not that of Argentina's popular majority, hailed Columbus Day last week with an appeal by Foreign Minister Enrique Ruiz Guinazu for closer friendship between Argentina and totalitarian Spain, "which find themselves traveling the same road and which have parallel interests."

The Chilean Government of President Juan Antonio Rios, which reflects the isolationism of some Chileans, received congratulations from three ex-Presidents of Chile after President Rios had canceled his proposed visit to the U.S.

Underneath the diplomatic surfaces, Sumner Welles's straight talk was probably taken in very good part by the Argentine majority, despite their Government. And the Argentine Government was careful to describe the situation as an "episode," rather than an "incident." This week mass meetings in various cities indicated that Chileans were choosing sides and Santiago's evening tabloid, Ultimas Notidas, went so far as to say the government might decide to resign. Various Good Neighbors had already come to Sumner Welles's support. Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia were all reported working for Chilean-U.S. understanding. President Roosevelt sent a message to President Rios hoping that his visit was "merely postponed for a short time." President Rios thanked President Roosevelt for his message. In the end Sumner Welles's straight talk might prove to have stirred not so much resentment as serious consideration of Nazidom's threat to the hemisphere.

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