The Efficient Argentines

The Argentines are a proud and freedom-loving people who like to boast about their disregard of laws and restrictions and how they run their lives to suit themselves. But they are also great admirers of efficient government. Last week they wondered which horn of this dilemma they preferred.

Dour, puritanical President Pedro Ramirez had signed his 7,240th decree since taking office (TIME, June 14) and was still going strong. His Government was efficient as all get-out, but it was channeling Argentine lives into a path of righteousness and cultural uplift as they had never been channeled before. A few of the 7,240:

> Textile firms found prices and quality of their products strictly regulated, as did medical industries, sugar, cheese and other food producers, raw-film manufacturers and private shipping companies whose rates were considered too high.

> Rubber and tire factories awoke to the fact that the Government had taken over their stock.

> The Government decreed the type of sun and sunrays to be used on the Argentine flag.

> Medical advertising had to be approved by the Health Department.

> The Buenos Aires Zoo was taken over by the Government, on charges that animals were underfed and funds improperly disbursed.

> To conserve power, 4 o'clock nightclubs and dance halls were ordered closed at 2:30 or 3, movies and theaters be tween 11:30 and 12.

> Stores with odd street numbers were made to close an hour earlier on odd days, even-numbered ones an hour earlier on even days.

> One apartment house with maid service was ordered to change linen twice weekly, since the Government considered one weekly change not enough.

> To save gas, taxis on the main downtown thoroughfares were ordered to wait for fares in the middle of the street instead of pulling in to the curb.

Decrees like these had Argentine citizens wavering between mirth and exasperation, as was a businessman who, working late one night, was visited by inspectors and ordered to go home. But there were other decrees on the more serious side:

> After a two-day Cabinet meeting, plans were made for housing improvements, taxation and social welfare. Colonel Alberto Gilbert, Minister of the Interior, announced forthcoming trade and employment registration, labor and accident insurance, old-age insurance and reorganization of the country's municipal system based on present U.S. systems.

> Corrupt officials hanging over from the Castillo regime were being cleaned out daily; arrests made included ex-governors of provinces, deputies, municipal counselors and the like.

> Radio programs were cleaned up drastically, obnoxious commercials banned or cut down to 100 words between programs, classical music made compulsory at least once daily, serials, quiz shows, announcements and song lyrics* subjected to strict censorship to cut out slang and uplift the cultural level.

Such actions Argentines could admire. Still they wondered--especially as they wandered into restaurants and found that the Government had published regulations regarding the making and selling of sandwiches.

*One tango hit, To Content the Old Lady, was renamed To Gratify Mother.

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