1954-07-08 — Page 1

The fighting has now finished, and a coalition has taken over the government in Guatemala. This report, though received late, is still full of interesting colour, showing ›

THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, JULY: 8, 1954.

WHAT WAR WAS LIKE IN BANANA-LAND

W

Ho says: "We don't want to

From Donald Ludlow night the Guatemalan Army or

bride in white with bou- At

quet, groom in smart morn. ing suit should hang on Invasion the wall alongside mani

festos and a declaration of HQ

liberation prepared . for Guatemala.

But there are also con- ASHING hangs on cessions to drama -the the line in the patio dah-ah-der-dah secret code of 11 little pink knock on a heavy wooden house in narrow door ("Enter friend") and Calle Diez Tenth Street pistol butts peeping from -from which Colonel Carlos young men's pockets. Castillo Armas is directing True, this is a land in which the invasion of Guatemala. m.n carry pistols ar casually as handkerchiefs, but In today's But instead of the head- ha

etting guns arr ΠΟ longer quarters for a revolution, omaments. Now back to the. this house in the red-roofed invasion .and Colonel Annas city of Tegucigalpa, Hon himself. duras, is more like a busy -hotel. Charming, plump Scarlet Pimpernel, as clusive and

the

Mra Odilla Armas, colonel's wife, is there. So is his grey-haired mother.

He is A Central American

Hard to grasp as clouds on the mountains that ring this ancient city in its deep green valley.

One whisper says he is still here and han never left They are chatting with Tegucigalpa-shortened locally friends, and getting on to "Teegoose"-where scores of correspondents arc with the sewing and darn- ing as if a revolution was the most ordinary thing in the world.

shadows.

foreign

searching for him.

Musical name

But the best tip is that he is across the border and 25 miles

Children scamper in and out among the plotters. Good-l:oking young men and pretty girls flirt in the Guatemala at a famous hrine-Christo Negro (Black Christ) in the town Somebody strums a gui- Esquipulas, There he plans far, somebody taps a type- set up his own Government to writer.

supplant and R roly-poly Arbenz.

President Inwyer, Senor Luis Corona- This town with the musical do, announces; "We shall name would be a good place for have a bulletin on the war forming the new Government, rendy in a minute."

Where is he?

Where is Colonel Armus?

that of

of

because Colonel Armas is a devout Roman Catholic and religion is playing a big part in his

to the people appeals Guatemala to throw out the Communists,

From Teath coronado

the Guatemalan people. We are only fighting Arbenz and the nods. If he quits there'll be peace."

So it looks as if the colonel is through the seeking victory mosquito stings of his tiny, pim- crack air force and by infiltra- tion-seizing some places and then starting a snowbail or re- volt that will roll on Guatemala City..

This is not a bad bet and, if today's claims are true, a revoli could happen quickly. In Tenth Street they are exuluing at the "surrender of the garrison town of Coban, 60 miles north of Guatemala City, and at the latest Arbenz order forbidding petrol for private cars.

Indignation

But. President Arbenz, le not without cards to play the 2,000 tons of Iron Curtain aims now stacked in cellars of his palace. It he does as the Communists want him to do-hand the guns to the campesinos (peasants)-

Guatemala will be steeped in bloodshed.

of being Reporters' hopes allowed to get close to the invading troops crumpled sadly.

They were pinned on Colonel Manuel Orellano Portillo, who, from the frontler town of Copan, announced he was the chief In- formation officer of the Army of

Liberation, and posed gallantly Afor a picture with a Luger pistol.

in bis belt,

At Tenth Street headquarters they are indignant. The colonel, they say, is an impostor all out for himself. He has no right to speak for anybody.

Meanwhile, there is no offer of safe-conduct to the front." So for news of action we have to rely on reports coming back to Tenth Street.

These reports say: The main Street lawyer invasion thrust captured the town Issued the first of Equipulas in a walk-over

I ask. An enger young manifesto of the new aide misunderstands the ment.

Govern- victory.

question and points to 1 I called on the world to pair of long white cotton recognise the right of Guate- underpants fluttering from malons to revolt" and to with- draw recognition from the repre- the clothes line. "The sentatives of President Arbenz at colonel's," he says with the United Nations and abroad. Colonel Armas also rejects the will right of the United Nations to has interfere in his war. He claims It is purely American affair

BwC.

Colonel Armas, who be 40 in November,

Ilved

In this house ever and should go before the since, three years ago, he Organisation of American States -tunnelled-the way out of by which the 21 republics.tty gaol into which an old com- to keep pence in their own con- rade in

arins, President Unent

Arbenz of next-door Guute-

mala, had lung him.

So it is not surprising that the place should have

To

Little news

refute

accusations by home-sweet-home atmo: President

that Arbenz

the sphere und that

the colonel's

forces are largely colonel's wedding picture-- foreign adventurers front Honduras, Cuba, Salvador, and Nicaragu accusations that make powerful propaganda to Guste- Intensely nationalistic

publishes malins Armas Ja long list of Guatemalan exiles now rallied under his Sword and Cross standard.

» Bayer's « TONIC

Surrender

The attackers were led by Colonel Miguel Mendoza, who was defeated when he tried to win the Presidency of Guate | mala two years ago.

Mortars were used but only on the outskirts. Then the town surrendered.

Triumphal arches were hastily flung up; the pro-Communist mayor fled, and the people form- cd themselves into crosses as a sign to aircraft -- friendly or hostile that they were neutral.

in the ancient cathedral the troops of Colonel Armas gave thanks for this first success.

They prayed before the shrine of the Black Christ-a glant crucifix carved in black wood,

It dates from the Spanish con- quest in the 18th century and in peacetime attracts pilgrims from and South all over . Central America.

But on the progress of the Invasion, the manifesto

Esquipulas gave Colonel Armus gives little news, and seems to suggest the first cirstrip Inside Guate- that the colonel is marking time ala and

on

immediately plunta and banking that the Guate took off to drop pamphlets malan Army will desert Pre- the rail-centre of Zacapa,

sident Arbenz and come over to bim.

Colonel Armas says there have been no major battles and few, if any, casualties.

By Appointment Wine Merchants

to The Late

Light

Dry

Shorry

King George VI

Dry Amontillado Sherry

SANDEMAN

ola Agents: DODWELL & CO. LTD.

the to

Flushed with auccess, colonel issued an ultimatum the Arbenz Government to sur- render within 24 hours,

Brisk trade

The deadline is well past, and now invasion beadquarters aro explaining: "It was a matter of the moment--the way a mon feels,"

Itowever that may be, his troops have been flying up to the Invasion frontier quite openly from the airport here at Tegu- cigalpa.

armband.

GILES and those Russian oarsmen

RENLEY REGATTA

'Will it be ̈all right if we clap if the Russians win?”

RENE MacCOLL sets off

I SHARE WITH

A

London Express Barvico

again on his second Russian ramble

SLEEPER

MY BALLET

However, he

DANCER

was a likable time since I arrived in

the ago,

but

even so 'striking job of reconstruction. has been

fellow with a grin and a bone- Soviet Union that I had cast a of Churchili

being crushing handshake at parting, glance at the countryside and achieved,

not been Instantly sure that I

The town was just wis a long, long way from flattened after two years of Western Europe..

WS (3 Dorman occupation. But foday

Kharkov, Ukrainian S.S.E. I had received by airmail, and N my way here by there was great interest in the train from Moscow pictures

imade a Carter Knight. I shared the same sleeping compartment as a rether beautiful ballet dancer.

Lot me hasten to add that we were chaperoned by an army ever so major who snored- slightly and that within U.S.S.I. It is not considered at

the

And he kept the glasses of tea "But why is he wearing the coming continuously when the strange garb?" naked the leat grew almost unbearable. major. Optimist that I am, 1 embarked on an attempt to explain about the Order of the Carter, but gave up half-way through.

The 'doubt

T bedtime the major and I Then there was oohing! and retired to the corridor (blot all unusual for strangers of the ahing!, ot the photo of the tho ballet dancer prepare for two sexes to share a train Queen at the same ceremony, sleeping compartment.

"Elizabett," they exclaimed, and

Queen

So there the three of us were, asked me her age. "So young," fighting the heat, and making when I told them the fragmentary conversation-is-28.—————--

the good offices of a through young man who visited us from the next compartment and who knew a bit of English.

The Garter

The young man's English did not extend to clock times, po I drow a picture on the tablecloth to determine what time we were due at Kharkov, This succeeded wel,

but the triumph was short-lived when the conductor a fast

me

appeared and fired THE

six roubles (110. odd) for defacing State property.

the night.

[FASHION NOTE: When we re-entered the compartment she -was-wearing a snazzy houïscoat.

of Cambridge blue.)

There seemed to be something on the major's mind, and finally he asked if I was sure I was not an American. I said: "No. Anglisk," at which he brighten ed notably.

Men as well as women corried paper fans. The conductress

Д sported black beret, while

woman had the ballet dancer's characteristic rather tortured smile and upslanting eyebrows.

dix- She proudly

I pointed out that the sketch linen overalls and bare lega played a big bottle of Gueriáln

was in penell and would wash -ending in bobby sox. scent, which is something you

which the do not see every day in Russia. off casily, at

ductor retorted that if it had been in penell the For my part, I showed them not the latest Daily Expresses which would have been stiffer.

THEY'D TO DO

about

There were familiar things you can find hardly any trace like windmills and haystacks of those unhappy events. and neat orchard groves and ') dolls.

But then, suddenly, the train would be rolling again through an immense plain, and plodding across the middle of this plain, heading apparently for infinity, would be a line of peasant

women.

IN

The new city

all hands there are big new buildings either inished or semi-complete. And those parts of the town which were too badly wrecked have been trans- formed into parks and gardens,

Yes-vast plains swooning off into the hallucination of heat-

I was swept off to the local"

the dancing horizons--that is one of Soviet building (call it the Russian recollections that municipal hall), and there was sat down at the desk of Com- will stay with me ajways.

rade Feodor Prokovlevitch On this trip we lived off the Zubarlev, Vice-President

on Kharkov Soviet, and former land, for although it 18-hour journey there was no high-ranking army officer. dining-car attached. So at spota like Gorsk we nipped off and bought mineral water,

hunks

is

of brown bread or sweet cakes.

·

And here we were at Kharkov on a blazing afternoon. When I woke in the morning Kharkov was liberated by ino wo were in the heart of the the

Red Army, in: August Ukraine, This was the first 189. Well, that is al g-years

con-

14

HAVE LIKED KE TRAVELLING THE

DON IDDON'S DIARY

一趟

33

prsion here is always money in Washington and there Always will & bes wit doesn't matter which Adriaistkalon in power, Washington does right."

New York, Tuesday, N any popularity poll conducted here Sir Winston Churchül and Mr Anthony Eden

Some White House advisers have succeeded In getting would be at the top America's

rebukin themselves for place at the McCarthy-Army most admired

hearings and not many of them seem to care. Englishmen. They are all not thinking of this before. ways welcome.

The people are here to look at their national momuments, services to them. not their politicians.

However, I do not seo much evidence of great enthusiasm over this last visit.

ATO

Crowded capital.

Washington

pongation. Work for anolber 100,0

The big hoteis land;

New York's, or chin

.

..

We were joined by the city's. architect, Comrade chief Krulkin, blond and 38, who

work bosses a staff of 50 and a ing force of several thousands. (MacColl was sweating 'uncon- trollably, and linen'- sulted Zubarley compassionately turn- ed tie: electric fan gn his desk`, (il the lucklessHyisitor)

Kruškin

thyislastic

plunged into an and statistics- descriptionou his Strussic "to rol the

.courel, then La sidjor part in If all, Kruisin's palet-assistant is a roman; algas I: looked out of any hotel Bedroom I saw women Fastener's ↑ and bricklayers o ao block of

The palace

DER APB the most signifledat PER

odd statistic for tho British vips: Wo kov 40 dent culture for the workers tario factories.

They roam the long Route 1 from. The night clubs, 128 thriving machisery.

the

Yarworkers a member- could

They chartered the planes from.

Washington has become a ring how no pagava Do THE capital 'Is crowded with Perhaps tourists from the 48 States booming nummer resort. All the shops em busje, VA DO a local airline and the machines | the Americans fool that I made several fights a day and would be more appropriate for of the Union: took 20 men at a time,

the young and vigorous Prest the city with cameras, taking there are information

motels and rooming-houses, One of the most popular ship: 8,000), and you dent Eisenhower to fly to Lan- picture of the National Shine mack-bars and restaurants. The tunes the orchestras are play- describe it as a vast conglo- They wear khaki trousers and don rather than have tho 79- the

monument to Georgo shirts, which are common work-year-old British Prime Minister Washington,

Jefferson capital has got something of the ing in the clubs and hotel maration of clubs or, as they ing clothes here but quickly be tako to the air and they under Memorial, and Lincoln Memo booster, spirit of Miami Beach lounges is "Point of Order," put it, all sections of culture

and something- of Hollywood. which is a satire on the Army from chess to volleyball, and, cune uniforms when adorned by go the rigours of a

blazing, rial.

They are both one-industry. McCarthy. hearings; aunt dramatice to cinema, dvade towns.

tung which is not likely to last pumpa,ODIACE KAN ANA John O'tors), the author, long but will probably sell in The palace itays open from The men did not have guna inį way; /*MTË SOFranklin,@Roosevelt, the marblo.steps: near the Tomb #ays: “Time two factory, towns, the hundreds of thousands, like 8 am, till midnight; WAGN

"Point of Order" — a phrase McCarthy, uler, gain and absurd "Mairay Dontane

understand you've be

na you've been accused"

"Point of order um "How long must this needless

brow-beating go on?"-"

"Point of order

years ago this

",

Pleasant remark by my; guide- inshawen visited. Hapa panora elnoma projections: roquia what a lucky finiali Vin projector had?"¿Weleventually ported that one out ita mean, that the machine was viwell finished, pay at hand

tho colonel's sword-and-cross | humid - Washington week-end, But most of all the trippers inke pictures of themselves by 17. Böme yöt my frien de hero the banks of the Polomac, on their hands. But with them in with his physical the planes went preking cases could journey across the Atlan ide the Capitol, and at the startingly high level no that

handicap of the Unknown Soldier, out are peopled by incompetents of the full of rifles, Bren guns, and tie for conferences, surely, Ike, White House gates. perament in Hollywood is surely Iseldence of him and tem- flame-throwers"/

at the peak 3 of his strength, One hundred and fifty-four as high as in Washington.” (2), | could make the trip."). How did Colonel Armas get monetaKAEPER

was a shabby, Mikawa? thead weapons? Everybody aniles It was an ideal opportundly village in swamp or mude at that question. There : how for Mr Ebenhower, to bolster puddle. Today it is one of the always been a Iniak urma trade his mading & peckige on its most magnificent of the World's

and certainly the most GWIN In this part of the

tenth anniversar of D-Day Immaculate. ZY THE big diference between And who is gaying the troops The Foldmat could have down That is another question" on the to the beaches which he con- tố

Tens of

Chousands as of the film capital, and”- the 64-Tempire of (Honduran dollar); quered, gen moun The pere sightseers, are louring the show, national, capital 1,that Washing-/

While - the men, werd manier and users, along with place now. In the derohenticton PL prosperous. A hotel on You will rather that this is playeds at Louis BILO billeted inr:

r Tegucigalpa and the John Foster Dailem, & conferred (it is over 90 in the shad and manager tola. maj We never not an inspired:"lyric for great | "Tiny"?

badour and dinern ~ villages around they have never de saint in London.

with Sir Winsto Chuurchill Wile ghumidityjulie makto

ránily havo, minäred, here, rasti musle, à bule. It because the fathboun thán half - a dozen even in the depths of the dem Washington, sir all over town.

scale.

been short of money,

Go Not, more.

Does all right

"only, anked the man hla -That night that hotel dance'

band, making the kama: mistake Border Portrol (maydi hatamajors inc thentralno