JUAN VICENTE GOMEZ

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1929, Page 7

JUAN VICENTE GOMEZ

VENEZUELA’S G.O.M. * “THE GREAT HABILITATOR.” : MILITARY AND INDUSTRIAL ARMY CHIEF. .!. A ! grizzled country gentleman with ively eyes, . who avoids speeches and official functions like the plague and >assos as much time as possible outloors—that is the present General Tuan Vicente Gomez, 72 year old ;ommander-in-chief, of the Vonezuean army. It is not all of the picture, however. “The Well-Deserving General lomez,” as he is officially known Gnce Congress voted him the l : tle of .‘Benemerite” some years ago, is also .he country’s first soldier, its most vealthy citizen, its foremost good roads advocate, and most expert politician. His enemies label him circtaior; friends regard him as the G.eat Jabilitator.

REFUSED RE-ELECTION; Gomez leaped into the limelight not long ago when he refused the Presilency of Venezuela. Congress had named him to succeed himself in that ■Jfice. Gomez then startled his countrymen by refusing the honour. A committee was named to call on him, o beg him to change his mind. Adamant he refused. Instead, lie offered to accept a post to be known as com-mander-in-chief. The offer was accepted. Not many days later Gomez announced that he had ordered some of his generals to put down a subversive movement in three States in the northern part of the country. Meanwhile Juan B. Perez, Chief Justice of .the Supreme Court, has been acting President. He was named to that place when Gomez’s former term expired. In his statement declining the Presidency, Gomez expressed a willingness to suggest an alternate. He also suggested that the new election be held on May 23. Gomez has been a leader in Venezuelan military affairs and politics since 1899, the President or Presidentelect for 20 years. Twice prior to bis recent step lie left the Presidency in charge of another while lie put clown aninsurrection or remained at the head of the army. In 1914 lie was re-elected President, but did not take office until 1921, when lie was again re-elected. In April of this year Con"toss- named him for another sevenyear term. Wealth put at £20,000,000. Gomez is one of the richest men in South America, his properties being

valued as high as £20,000,000 by business associaties. Probably only Simon Batino, the Bolivian tin king, outranks him in South America. The Venezuelan general is the biggest land owner in South America. He has one ranch valued at' £BOO,OOO, another half as. much, and a third worth more than the others added together. His personal weekly pay-roll is 260,000 bolivares (£10,400), twelve thousand persons depend on his enterprises for a livelihood. He sends cacao to Liverpool and Hamburg; to New York he sends coffee; lie has thousands of rubber trees. He exports coconut oil. His acres of coffee trees compare in extent to any individual holdings in Brazil. The Gomez cotton factory in Alaracay, with 280 looms, represents £400,000 invested.

•BORED BY CEREAIONIES. Ceremonies bore him. So does red tape. To him there arc three kinds of speeches: “The long poor ones, which are wholly bad; the good but long ones, which are also bad; and the short good ones, which alone are good.” short. He sends them to be read before the Legislature. Cabinet morn hers write the longer parts. For the rest he outlines to a secretary the points to be covered and blue pencils heavily the typed version. An occasional paragraph shows the imprint of his own homely, vigorous speech. . . Gomez bears lightly the - weight of his 72 years. Straight as a taut string, Gomez is wiry; he is thinner than he was ten years ago. The sweep of hair across his wide forehead is greying, and his moustache lacks the picturesque upward twist of his earlier campaigning photographs. He wears gold-rimmed spectacles part of the time. The Gomez diet is a light one. Breakfast and supper are scant meals. A substantial dinner is eaten in midday. Gomez does not drink. He smokes three cigars or less each 24 hours. He boasts that lie can live perfectly on two dollars a day. From this two dollars he would have to save enough for . motion, pictures, |or alnvost ’ every, night Gomep a Sees the cinema. - : FARMING CHIEF INTEREST.' ! 'I

Good roads, the arihy, fanning aiicl : stock', are' Gomez's hohhies. • Best of all, lie likes- agritiUltuijc.' ‘ He has never married. “La- Patyia is my sweetheart; I* am too! busy for family life,” .he explains.'! .His ~ tude toward the Church was -shown ,'nt one of those rare times, when he attended Mass. It was an official appearance, and as Gomez onte’red tji.e building a priest stepped , forward with holy water. - But at that moment the band struck up .Venezuela’s national anthem, and the President gestured the priest aside while he stood stiffly, at salute until the - mufdo stopped. “Patria first, then Church,” he said. '