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Show WHO'S NEWS THIS WEEK By LEMUEL F. PARTON DR. JUAN DEMOSTHENES AROSEMENA, president of the Republic of Panama, is, in spite of his middle name, a practical man, cautious in Panama Chief speech and ac-Talks ac-Talks American in. As the Unitization American conference of foreign ministers at Panama, he sharply assails as-sails totalitarianism and religious and racial persecution and invokes unity of the American republics in the spirit of constructive isolation for which our state department is proselyting just now. Dr. Arosemena, a realistic veteran of Panamanian politics, has, in the past, accepted our "good neighbor" policy on grounds of enlightened self-interest. self-interest. He has been keenly aware that the Canal Zone might be a major trouble spot, if war comes this way,, and, recently, re-cently, discussing its defense, he said, "If they start shooting up the canal, they'll be shooting at us, too, and that's why we want to help defend it." He was foreign minister of Pan- ama from 1929 to 1936, elected prs- ident in the latter year, and in years past has been sharply opposed to the United States on various issues. In the presidency, he has inclined much more in our direction. He is friendly and genial, rather In the cut of an enterprising business man. In the 1938 Lima convention, be Joined the Brazilian delegation in accepting accept-ing the Roosevelt overtures for friendship and unity. '"pHIS writer has heard several ex- pressions of astonishment over the eagerness of the Rev. Martin Niemoeller to fight for Nazi Ger-- Ger-- , ... many. It was freedom, Like only last June Peace, Perhaps that the Is Indivisible churches of democrat i c countries throughout the world proclaimed pro-claimed him "the first Christian martyr of modern times" and set aside a Sunday for commemoration of his heroism. The submarine commander of the World war, having hav-ing become a great evangelical pastor pas-tor in Berlin, had led the nonconformists non-conformists in opposition to Nazi seizure of control of religion, and had gone to a concentration camp. The explanation of his backsliding back-sliding as a martyr may be found in the records of his earlier ear-lier career. He was an early and zealous ally of Hitler and his brown shirts, aiding in stamping out freedom, complacent com-placent in the face of pogroms and the wreck of all civil liberties, liber-ties, resistant only when bis church was assailed. (Consolidated Features-WNU Service.) |