CHILEAN POLITICS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 84, 6 October 1931, Page 7

CHILEAN POLITICS

NEWCOMER ELECTED

PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC DEATH AND DISORDER United Press Association—By Electric Teleerapli—Copyright. (Received 6th October, 11 a.m.) SANTIAGO (Chile), slh October. Senor Juan Esteban Montcro (Conservative), v middle-aged newcomer to politics, succeeded on Monday to the Presidency of Chile in an election attended by disorders and marked by at least five deaths, perhaps ten. Senor Montcro decisively defeated his Radical opponent, Senor Arturo Alessandri. Senor Montero takes the post vacated by the late President Carlos Ibanez, who was overthrown in July and fled to Argentina.

Tho post-war readjustment saw Chile affected with severe troubles and strikes, and Radical demonstrations were frequent. Tho year 1920 was one of tho most interesting and in some respects tho most significant of all Presidential elections in the country. In that .year, Senor Arturo Alessandri, candidate of tho so-called Liberal Alliance, comprising the Badical and Democratic Parties, opposed Senor Luis Barros-Borgono, the candidate of the "National Union," which was made up of Liberals and Conservatives, with the latter in tho great majority. The announced vote was 179 for Alcssandn and 175 for Barros-Borgono. The Chilean Constitution provided that the electoral vote should be canvassed by both Houses sitting jointly, and that in case no candidate received an absolute majority tho power of election should rest with Congress. Public opinion was roused to a great pitch, for there was no doubt that the Senate favoured BarrosBorgono. It was demanded that the counting of the votes should bo delayed until the matter had been before a special Court of Honour, which, after a period of strenuous activity, passed in favour of Alessandri by 5 votes to 2, finding that he hnd been elected by 177 valid votes to 176.

Alessandri had- been elected on an ambitious democratic programme, but circumstances were against him. Representation in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies was such that formation of a Cabinet which would receive support appeared almost impossible. The President's, influence first grew, then waned because of his inability to carry out his promises, he lost friends, and finally tendered his resignation on 17th November, 1921. Ho was dissuaded from this step, and remained almost impotent until September, 1924, when, after years of political deadlocks, ho gained support by a coup d'etat. He resigned at once, but his resignation was rejected by.Congress, and he was granted six months' leave of absence. Early in 1925 the Government was overthrown by a second coup d'etat, but the new movement recognised Alessandri, who was then in Venice, as the constitutional President, and sent an appeal to him to return. Assured that his return was desired by the wholo country, Alessandri consented, and he held office until 1927.