CASTILLO ARMAS: GUEST FROM GUATEMALA

ARRIVING in Washington this week a state visit: Carlos Castillo

Armas, 41, the scrappy colonel who last year led a revolution against the Red-infiltrated government of Jacobo Arbenz and whipped Arbenz in a ten-day war. The first Guatemalan President ever to visit the U.S., he will stay 14 days, see New York City, Detroit, St. Louis, New Orleans, Houston.

Origins. Born to a lower-middle-class farm family in steaming Escuintla department. Graduated in 1936 from the military academy in Guatemala City, one year after Arbenz.

Soldier. Rose to lieutenant colonel in artillery and infantry commands under the post-1944 leftist government, with time out for study at Fort Leavenworth, Kans. and West Point. Bvoke with the government after the 1949 assassination of his friend and patron, anti-Communist Colonel Francisco Arana, Arbenz’ main rival for the presidency.

Revolutionary. Dropped from army rolls, he ran a grocery, plotted with other discontented officers, got caught. Sent before a firing squad with 17 others, he saved himself by feigning death after bullets only nicked his leg. Talked his way into army hospital, after which Arbenz & Co. relented and sent him to prison. Escaped spectacularly to foreign exile by digging a tunnel under the wall of Guatemala City’s National Penitentiary. From neighboring Honduras in June 1954 he walked into Guatemala at the head of 400 half-trained volunteers, and, backed up by four vintage fighter planes, defeated or won over the contingents of a 6,000-man regular army that had little stomach for defending Arbenz and his Red friends.

President. Moving into the Presidential Palace, he rooted out such Communists in government as had not already fled abroad. Purged unions of Red leaders, halted Red-designed land redistribution while promising to resettle land-hungry peasants in virgin territories. Pulled treasury out of its Red ink.

Personality & Private Life. Small in size (5 ft. 7 in. tall, 135 Ibs.), he likes seashore fishing, horseback rides before sunup. A poker face reflects a disciplined temperament, covers up witty humor, a disarming approachability. Generally gives or goes to a dinner party every night. Married, no children.

Problems. In 15 months in office, he has faced two serious plots, a business depression, unemployment, droughts, a spate of charges that insiders (though not the President himself) are profiteering from government contracts and speculation in foodstuffs. Complains of the “no-idea” men around him, but has been slow to exercise firm leadership. As a result, has failed so far to make Guatemala the hoped-for showplace of anti-Communist prosperity—but $15 million granted last week by the U.S. International Cooperation Administration (mostly for job-making road construction) will help. j