Victory for Democracy

Since World War II a handful of Communists have bored their way into some of the highest places in the Brazilian armed forces. The Reds got one setback in March when President Getulio Vargas fired his War Minister, General Newton Estillac Leal, no Communist himself, but an ultranationalist who insisted that the army should not inquire into an officer's politics. Last week the Reds--and General Estillac Leal--got their lumps again.

The issue this time was control of Rio's Clube Militar, an august social and fraternal organization open to all Brazilian officers. Firmly entrenched in the club, the Communists had taken over its monthly magazine, Revista do Clube Militar, published made-in-Moscow editorials blasting the Korean campaign as "Wall Street imperialism" and U.N. troops as "butchers." And even after Vargas dismissed him as Brazil's War Minister, Estillac Leal still held his job as the club's president.

Finally, outraged anti-Communist officers in the Clube Militar united in a "Democratic Crusade" aimed at ousting Estillac Leal in the club's biennial election. To oppose him, they picked General Alcides Gonc,alves Etchegoyen, 51, bull-necked chief of Rio's armored division. In a scorching campaign, Estillac Leal denounced his opponents as men who were plotting to give away Brazil's petroleum and mineral riches. Etchegoyen promised to "rid the club of totalitarian influences from left & right." On the appointed day last week, with most of the club's 16,003 members voting, Etchegoyen won a smashing 2-to-1 victory.

The result removed any suspicion that Brazilian officers were indifferent to the increasing evidence of Communism in the armed, forces. But under Brazil's army code Communist Party membership is still no grounds for dismissal. Officers of the Democratic Crusade hoped that their convincing victory would encourage President Vargas to move a little faster against the Communists in the army.

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