Word: frei
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1960-1969
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Chile is gripped by the worst, longest drought in its history, a crisis so serious that President Eduardo Frei has declared it a "national catastrophe." The drought, now in its 20th month, followed three years of earthquakes, floods and destructive storms. The harried Frei has seen his drive for progress stalled by natural disaster after disaster, as well as by stubborn political opposition and splits in his ruling Christian Democrat Party. Says he: "The drought is worse than an earthquake. An earthquake produces panic, but reconstruction means work. A drought does not produce panic, but neither does it provide work...
...Alone. Frei's government has been trying its best to alleviate the suffering, but only at great cost to the economy. Deficit spending for drought relief has intensified Chile's inflation: the rate was 30% last year. Special government relief now goes to 60,000 people; in addition, some 60,000 are out of work, and that number may well double by next month. Foreign-exchange reserves are being whittled down by costly fuel-oil and coal imports that are necessary to make up for the loss of hydroelectric power...
...behind her. It was the first visit ever to South America by a reigning British monarch, and the Queen plans ten days in Brazil, another seven in Chile before returning home. Officially, she is returning a state visit to Britain three years ago by Chile's President Eduardo Frei. Unofficially, there are high hopes that the Queen's travels will help promote the exports that Britain needs to correct its trade balance. As the London Daily Mirror put it: "The production has been carefully worked out, and the leading lady has played the part before...
Dates & Limits. In his own climactic speech, Frei cut loose all of the pent-up frustration of three years. "I do not pretend to be the owner or the boss of the party," he said. "This could never be the attitude of a man who owes everything to the party." He had always, Frei said, discussed the main issues with members, and had invited them to his home for talks. "You must remember," he stressed, "that I have the responsibility of administering the country. You must not forget, dear companions, that the constitution has some regulations about dates and time...
...Frei warned that the party's very future was at stake, and that unless its members went along with him, they would all be out of power after the next elections in 1970. The delegates could only agree. When the vote came, Frei won by a 70-vote margin, and Party President Gumucio immediately resigned in favor of a pro-Frei member. But the leftists still had the last word. By a margin of five votes, they won passage of a proposal guaranteeing workers the right to strike, a law on which Frei had asked for a year...