Democratic Spirit

Government by consent of the people is gaining in Latin America.

Soldierly, dutiful President Pedro Aramburu. the general who took over after Dictator Juan Peron's ouster by a military revolution and promised Argentines a free election, last week made good on his promise. Though the winner was not his choice. General Aramburu announced that he looked forward to "the honor of turning over power to honest and capable men."

In a continent where general-presidents have all too often tried to perpetuate themselves in office. Aramburu's conduct had an exemplary effect well beyond the borders of Argentina. Items: P:Colombia's five-man military junta, which will hold an election March 16. says: "We shall turn over our powers to a civilian President at 3 p.m.. Aug. 7. 1958." P:Venezuela's provisional President. Rear Admiral Wolfgang Larrazabal. promises elections for a constituent assembly before the year is out.

In the deep change, the Roman Catholic Church has played a foresighted and honorable role; it sensed popular anger at dictators in Argentina. Colombia and Venezuela, and stood quietly but firmly against them. Last week the church in Cuba shifted adroitly into opposition to Strongman Fulgencio Batista by calling for a "national-unity government" to replace his. By contrast, the U.S. State Department has sometimes had an unhappy knack of appearing to back the dictators. Former Inter-American Affairs Chief Henry Holland publicly hailed Peron as a "great Argentine." Secretary of State Dulles took time during one of his two visits to Latin America to pay a courtesy call on Colombia's Strongman Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. since kicked out. The recent U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela. beaming Dempster Mclntosh. was photographed in the foolish act of making Venezuela's Dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez an "honorary member of the U.S. submarine fleet."

The U.S. as a nation has not looked bad; Aramburu admired the U.S. Army's "democratic spirit." and the Venezuelan revolt was touched off by U.S.-trained Air Force officers who learned to like U.S. political institutions. But a wry comment is heard around Latin America of late: "Why can't the State Department be as democratic as the Vatican?"

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