Monday, Jul. 21, 1952

Bulletin from the Sickbed

There was no longer any doubt about it: Eva Peron was desperately ill. Last week, in the first official bulletin on her health since her operation, probably for cancer, last November, Argentina learned that she was abed for a "complete rest," her condition "unsatisfactory." Subsequent bulletins reported "no change whatsoever."

At the request of the Foreign Office, the French ambassador canceled the gay show scheduled for Bastille Day this week at the Colon Opera House; four other diplomatic parties were called off. Juan Peron spent most of his time at Eva's bedside in the secluded presidential residence in suburban Olivos.

Since her operation Eva Peron made public appearances only at the opening of Congress in May and at the June 4 presidential inauguration, where her mink coat hung like a shroud. In the meantime, her followers have whipped up countless new tributes. Last week labor leaders ordered every wage earner in the country to give a day's pay toward building monuments to her. Reportedly, their plan was to build $42 million worth of spires, each 210 ft. tall, topped with statues of Eva, to stand in each of the provincial and territorial capitals in Argentina, and also in Buenos Aires' famed Plaza de Mayo.

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