Ext 6116/46(S) 'Secret Weekly Political Intelligence Summaries, nos 356-416, August 1946-November 1947' [‎12r] (23/978)

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Communist feeling is in fact so strong in
some quarters that, in its 178-page report
of the 29th October, the President’s Com
mittee on Civil Rights has been constrained
to suggest that it goes £ ‘ far beyond good
judgment and calmness ” and now
^threatens to inhibit the freedom of
genuine democrats.’' Yet this has not
apparently deterred Representative J.
Parnell Thomas, the Chairman of the
much-criticized House of Representatives
Committee on un-American activities, who
announces that his auto-da-fe on the
film industry will continue until the last
Communist in Hollywood has been
“ exposed.”
LATIN AMERICA
Brazil
The Brazilian Senate is reported to have
passed a bill which cancels the mandates
of the Communist Senator, Luis Carlos
Prestes, 16 Communist deputies and the 18
Communist Municipal Councillors of Rio
de Janeiro (see last week’s Summary).
Guatemala
The President’s decree of the 16th
September suspending Constitutional
guarantees for 30 days (see Summary No.
410) was approved by Congress in the form
of a “ restriction ” of the guarantees,
after the Government had produced
evidence of the formation of a Communist
Party. For some days, the police pro
ceeded with their investigations and de
tentions. The mysterious Communists were
not arrested, but a number of right-wing
politicians, including Sr. Jorge Toriello,
one of the leaders of the Revolution of
1944. left the country. Some 200 or 300
persons were •reported under arrest, but no
list of names was published. On the 27th
September the President delivered a long
address by wireless in which he was sup
posed to explain what had happened. He
declared that the present plot was the
eleventh in 30 months, and added that the
officers of the new Guatemalan Army could
not be bought with money. He attacked
Sr. Toriello for his “ shameless and sub
versive manoeuvres,” and affirmea that
there was no ‘ c organised Communism ’ ’ in
Guatemala. It seems not unlikely there
fore that the whole ‘ £ plot ’ ’ was a device
aimed at Sr. Toriello and his friends.
Peru
The formation of a new cabinet was
announced on the 31st October. The Presi
dent of the Council is Admiral Saldfas,
and the portfolios of Public Works, Edu
cation and Justice all go to army officers.
The other Ministers, with one exception,
are unchanged. As a result only three
civilians remain in the cabinet, and it seems
that President Bustamente has decided to
call in the army to end the disturbances
caused by the Apristas.
UNITED NATIONS
Indonesia
The Security Council debated the Indo
nesian Question on the 22nd, 27th, 29th
and 31st October, and passed a resolution
whose interpretation will depend largely
on the good sense of the Committee of
Good Offices. Its terms are as follows :—
‘ ‘ The Security Council, having
received and taken note of the report of
the Consular Commission dated October
14th 1947, indicating that the Council’s
resolution of August 1st, 1947, relating
to the cessation of hostilities has not
been fully effective;—having taken note
that according to the report no attempt
was made by either side to come to,an
agreement with the other about the
means of giving effect to that resolu
tion—calls upon the parties concerned
34480
forthwith to consult with each other,
directly or through the Committee of
Good Offices, as to the means to be
employed in order to give effect to the
cease fire resolution, and, pending agree
ment, to cease any activities or incite
ment to activities which contravene that
resolution and to take appropriate
measures for safeguarding life and
property—requests the Committee of
Good Offices to assist the parties in reach
ing agreement on an arrangement which
will ensure the observance of the cease
fire resolution—requests the Consular
Commission together with its military
assistants to make its services available
to the Committee of Good Offices—
advises the parties concerned, the Com
mittee of Good Offices and the Consular
Commission that its resolution of
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