Parsimonious President

Wrote Sergeant Secrett, for 25 years personal servant of the late Field Marshal Earl Haig: "He had that little peculiarity about him--he hated parting with actual coin of the realm."*

Another who hates parting with actual coin of the realm is President Hipolito Irigoyen of Argentina. Almost since his inauguration last October he has refused to sanction payment for government bills contracted with "serious irregularities" by his predecessor, President Marcelo T. de Alvear (1922-28). Last week two new Argentine destroyers were ready for delivery in British shipyards. A transport with a crew of 800 officers and sailors had arrived at London docks, ready to take over the war boats and sail them back to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately President Irigoyen had neglected to send any money. As Horatius defied the armies of Clusium, British shipbuilders stood on the bridge of their destroyers and refused to surrender them to the Argentine Navy. Not only did the Argentine Navy have no money to pay for the new destroyers, they had no money to pay port dues for their transport, were forced to steam away and use the free anchorage at Cowes, off Southampton. There was no money to buy supplies. Officers and sailors had to beg money from friends to buy food.

The Navy was not the only sufferer from President Irigoyen's dislike of spending. Buenos Aires' La Prensa announced that the National Government owed nearly 34 million dollars to local firms.

Unmoved, parsimonious President Irigoyen continued not to spend. He announced that he would authorize no payments until all the contracts let by the previous administration were reexamined. In vain irate creditor firms throughout the world protested that their contracts had been authorized by the Argentine Congress and are binding, even mandatory upon the Treasury. The essential fact is simply that President Hipolito Irigoyen is the absolute and irresponsible "political boss" of Argentina. When he chooses to pay there will be no difficulty, for receipts and surplus in the Argentine Treasury are adequate, even above normal. Friends of Argentina hoped that "Irigoyen's Whim" would not become "Irigoyen's Folly."

-TWENTY-FIVE YEARS WITH EARL HAIG--Sergeant T. Secrett--Duffield & Co. ($2.50).