People's Choice

For two weeks Nicaragua's foxy, folksy Dictator Anastasio ("Tacho") Somoza toured his volcano-studded domain. Ostensibly, he was inspecting his Atlantic Highway (not yet completed) and the villages and towns along the Atlantic coast. Actually he was giving his local jejes (leaders) the word on 1951's presidential election. Tacho, who was President from 1937 to 1947, would like to be President again in name as well as in fact.

Last week, impressive in campaign khaki, Tacho returned to his dusty capital to a hero's welcome. Some 25,000 Liberal Party stalwarts, including Tacho's uncle and stooge, arthritic, old (76) President Victor Roman y Reyes, turned out to acclaim "our guide and presidential candidate." Said scheming Tacho: "If at the legal time of the election the people maintain the determination they have demonstrated today, I shall take the place the Liberal Party has ordered me to take."

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