Good Impression

"Why have you come to Washington?" a U.S. newsman asked last week. "To show." replied Guatemala's Presidentelect Miguel Ydigoras Fuentes with a smile, "that I am not the rightist monster I have been painted."

Behind the smile, Ydigoras was very much in earnest. A onetime follower of Dictator Jorge Ubico (1931-44), Ydigoras had fought two elections in the past four months. When he ran behind in the first, his followers cried fraud, rioted in the streets and forced the government to nullify the results. With the support of an amalgam of big landlords and conservative Roman Catholics, he won the second election six weeks ago with a 39% of the vote in a four-man race. But until the victory was confirmed by Congress, the threat of mob violence hung over Guatemala City. For the sake of future good relations with the U.S., Ydigoras had some bad publicity to live down.

Ydigoras, 62, was the first Latin American chief of state, incumbent or elected, to visit Washington in over two years, and his welcome was warm. It grew even warmer when the visitor made it plain that he had not come begging. At breakfast with President Eisenhower in the White House, he spoke gratefully of some $80 million worth of dollar aid given his assassinated predecessor, U.S.-favored Carlos Castillo Armas. With about $35 million of the aid funds still unspent, Ydigoras said that the only additional aid he might need would be a relatively modest sum for fighting malaria and hookworm disease. He told State Department Inter-American Affairs Chief Roy Rubottom that he planned to spend money on agriculture, rural resettlement and roadbuilding. With World Bank President Eugene

Black he brought up two other pet projects: electric power and port improvement. Even after the $35 million is used up, the emphasis would most likely be on businesslike loans instead of giveaway grants.

Meeting the press, Ydigoras showed confidence and moderation. "I believe in free unions," he said, "but many of our unions were infiltrated by Communists --especially the boards of directors. I believe there should be periodic elections to ensure against continued rule by corrupt men." As for Communism itself, he said, "Guatemala [under Red-dyed President Jacobo Arbenz] was like a small girl who caught smallpox. After the disease was over the scars remained. Now the scars are beginning to disappear."

Ydigoras continued building his good impression as guest of honor at an Organization of American States luncheon, left for home to keep an important engagement: his inauguration, which went off with simple dignity this week in the National Congress building.

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