LATIN AMERICA: Au Revoir?

In Chile, Liberalism was displaced by Militarism.

Having acceded to the demands of the militants (TIME, Sept. 15), Senor Arturo Alessandri, President of Chile, was forced to tender his resignation. Senate and 'Chamber, however, declined to accept it. They were requested by the President, who had sought shelter in the U. S. Embassy, to reconsider their decision. Again they refused to countenance the presidential resignation.

By this time General Altamirano, who had forced the President to name him Vice President, had succeeded in establishing a military Directorate. Alleged to be baffled by Parliament, the Directorate, in the pert Mussolini manner, gave the President six months leave of absence and off went Senor Alessandri to Argentina.

Not a drop of blood was shed during this unusual Latin American rev- olution. The streets of Santiago, capital city, were quiet. The only flutter of excitement was caused by the publication of the following proclamation of the militants:

"We declare solemnly on our honor that in taking charge of public affairs we do sp provisionally and only until the regular functioning of public institutions has been reestablished, and that we do not aspire to, and will not permit, perpetuation of a military system of government."

Yet, it is strange to think that the "revolution" was in the main caused because President Alessandri championed a bill to provide salaries for Parliamentarians, on the ground that it would enable the poorer classes to enter the Legislature.