Bedside Campaign

Just twelve days before next week's elections, Juan Peron finally started his leave of absence, ostensibly to be free to campaign for reelection. Because Vice President Hortensio Quijano is ailing, the President handed over his powers to Admiral Alberto Teisaire, 60, president of the Senate, who also happens to be head of the Peronista Party.

At week's end, Peron got around to making his first campaign speech. It was a twelve-minute radio talk, apparently broadcast from a recording. Hurriedly listing the benefits of his rule, Peron sounded weary, and without his usual fire and bombast. He said that he would make three more talks before election day.

No sooner had the speech been broadcast than plans were changed again. Evita Peron, reportedly suffering from leukemia, was taken to the hospital for treatment and possibly to undergo surgery for a condition variously rumored in Buenos Aires to be an ulceration or a tumor. Peron announced that he would cancel all public appearances to be at his wife's bedside. Peronista Party branches in the capital also suspended public meetings.

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