Show Panama Joins U. U S. S to o Spice Red Agitation B By y Charles diaries Fernandez P PANAMA ANA r A CITY Panama The Thc United States and Panama are moving to squelch Communist Communist agitation that poses an ominous threat to the Panama canal Panama jointly charged with defense of the strategic waterway waterway water water- way is quietly pegging known Reds while taking a firm stand against Soviet-inspired Soviet The government Is determined determined deter deter- mined to prevent the spread of Communist agitation declared Pres Domingo Diaz of oC Panama We Vc are arc determined to maintain maintain maintain main main- tain good relations with the United States Slates over all those who would make common cause with the Communists Moscow Mosco Line Lino The American state department department department depart depart- ment for its part is employing employing- shirt sleeve diplomacy obviously obviously obviously aimed at the Moscow line that it is treason for Panama to deal with Uncle Sam Ambassador Monnet 1 B. B Davis and his staff by carrying the American story direct to all wall walks s of P Panamanian life have str strengthened relations which were near the breaking point a year ago after Panamas Panama's assembly assembly assembly as as- refused to let the United States retain defense sites on its soil Although officials of neither government go arc are saying so publicly publicly publicly pub pub- they are obviously concerned concerned concerned con con- over the possibility the Communists may try to promote a show that would give them either a material or propaganda anda victory in this strategic area They haven't forgotten what happened at Bogota a year ago during the Pan-American Pan con con- ference Concern Becomes Plain Official concern became plain when Panama expelled Max Brodsky Russian-born Russian C CIO I 0 organizer organizer organizer or or- on charges he was a known Communist Brodsky was regional reg-ional director of the United Public Vor Workers ers of America claiming more than members members mem mom bers among alien Canal zone When Phen the union called a protest protest protest pro pro- test mass meeting canal zone Governor Francis K IC Newcomer warned that any Canal zone workers engaging in public disorders disorders disorders dis dis- dis- dis orders in connection with it would be fired The meeting itself itself itself-in in a Panama Panama Panama Pan Pan- ama City square on the Canal zone zone was was well attended attended attended at at- tended by Panama police Across the street in the zone American police manned armored cars Nothing happened The War ar Foot For help in subversive subversive sub sub- outbreaks the Diaz government government gov gov- reportedly also counts on a swinging club citizens citizen's group that emerged during the presidential campaign last year supposedly to counteract anti- anti Diaz violence The group made up largely of West Vest Indian Negroes is popularly popularly popularly i known in Spanish as Pie de Guerra and in English as the war foot foot a a label it got from a Diaz campaign orator who cried Citizens we are arc on ona ona ona a war footing The war foot whose favorIte favorite favorite favor favor- ite weapon has been a length of lead pipe wrapped in a newspaper newspaper newspaper news news- paper is roundly condemned by the Diaz opposition who fear it as a Ku Klux Klan that would take talce the law in its own hands Fire With ith Fire Diaz supporters justify it on the premise that you have to fight fire with fire The president himself laughs it off as a popular creature of the campaign as more of a slogan slogan slogan gan than an organization But there is evidence the war foot is still around ready to go into skull skull cracking ng action at the first hint of trouble According to best best estimates the Communists here are few in number The front Communist-front Peoples People's party got only some votes in the last election and didn't elect even a town council council- man But Communist leaders like Celso Solano are loud and crafty The Reds have infiltrated educational educational educational institutions And they are arc quick to head up extremely nationalistic nationalistic nationalistic na na- na- na movements which in inthis inthis inthis this tiny country whose life and destiny is closely tied to the United States often mean embarrassing embarrassing embarrassing em em- Uncle Sam Chicago Daily News Service |