REVOLUTIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1930, Page 2

REVOLUTIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA

COMIC OPERA AND TRAGEDY. <% J. D. Leckie in the Auckland Star.) ; v ; f *, ■ . . IWie recent revolution in the Argentine was comparatively a harmless affair; it was attended -with little bloodshed and was all oyer in a few hours. In fact it was merely a ‘‘coup d’etat.” Not all the Argentine revolutions have been so Woodless. During the time of Rosas, who became dictator of Buenos Ayres nearly n century ago, the country was distracted by twenty years of civil strife, during which Rosas established a uoign of terror and is said to ihave executed severnjl thousands of persons. Rosas was eventually overthrown, sought safety on a British warship; and retired to England, where he lived in fear of assassination till the -time of his death.

The writer has a remembrance of three revolutions which lie 'experienced in Paraguay, another State of the River Plate, under conditions somewhat resembling that of the Argentine in the time of Rosas. Although some of thcoe convulsions have, something of a comic opera aspect, others are more Jsorious and are attended by many episodes of cruelty and barIbarism. The two revolutions engineere.d by the famous Paraguayan “caudillo,” Jara, partake of both aspects. “Caudillo” is the name given in South America to a semi-military, jsemi-political leader, who commands a .large personal following, atid who is in.his element during a revolution. Jara was very popular’ in the army, and although at the time simply a major, he engineered a successful revolution which practically placed him in the position of a dictator. For a brief period he ruled the country with a rod if iron, punishing by flogging or imprisonment‘ all those who displeased him. During this time he created many enemies, and a counterrevolution soon followed, as. a result of which Jara was deposed, forcibly placed on board a steamer and deported to Buenos Ayres. > But. : there was something mysteriorp about Jara’s overthrow. He was having .a good time in Buenos Ayres, spending money freely, and it was discovered that the Paraguayan Government was sending him large remittances. The truth was soon out, the. counter-re-volutibn was a “put 7 un” affair, schemed % Jara himself, in order .to find- out who 1 were his real friends and-'supporters. 'Many of Ills supposedly most ardelit ..followers were to be found ’ among the crowd that hoot* ed him when'he embarked for Buenos Ayres. But this was a period when revolutions m Paraguay followed one another in rapid succession. The real truth became aparent when the Government (the members of which were, initfact, merely puppets of Jala) recalled the . exile on the outbreak of another revolution and gave him .an important command. But Jara has lost much of his prestige and was no longer dictator. Determined to regain hip former position, he organised another revolution on his own account, marched across .the country and without opposition captured the town of Villa Rica, which he made his capital. I was in Villa Rica at the time, and saw a good deal ■„ of Jara and his movements/ For more than four months we were besifegedjhy the Government troops,’ though the town was not" bombarded, nor even assaulted, during this time. Jara was now absolute dictator in Villa Riba and a small portion of the adjoining country. .Every store in the ■town was looted by, his followers, who committed all kinds of. outrages with complete impunity. The situation had. also . its comical aspects. Tourists from the Argentine were stranded in the town, .and though some of them were reputed millionaires they were in danger of dying 'from starvation. They' had bank accounts' in Buenos Aytes or Asuncion, but during the siege' cheques On outside placep. were absolutely unnegotiable, nor could any remittances be received from friends. Personally, I did not suffer much, though two of any horses were commandeered, without payment, of course. One of these I never saw again. Tire other, was recovered after the revolution was over. He was in a pitiable condition and he had acquired a bad habit during the time he had been in the power of the revolutionists. He now insisted on stopping in front of every disreputable house which he passed, much to the embarrassment of his rider.

After some four months o-f thvs inactivity Java determined to make an advance on Asuncion, the capital. He had occupied his time in drilling a number of raw peasants. He also apparently reckoned on the secret (support of a large number of the Government official’s, who, he believed. would go over to him in a body, and he assured his followers that they would enter Asuncion without any fightmgj But at the town of Paraguari, about half-way from Villa E.ica,' the Government troops had placed-; concealed batteries on a hill commanding the railway. When Jara and his troops attempted to pass by train they were met by a withering fire. The raw troops 'broke and fled at. once. Jara himself was wounded an(l ultimately succumbed to his injuries. , Left without a head, his followed submitted, anti so ended the abortive revolution, which is typical of many others.