A Profitable Trip

The winter rain slanted coldly down into the crowds, but not enough to dampen the homecoming. Nearly 500,000 cheering chilenos lined the nine-mile route from Los Cerrillos airport into downtown Santiago, waving their red, white and blue colors and chanting "Frei-Frei! Chile-Chile!" Smiling, tearful with gratitude, President Eduardo Frei was home after a 22-day goodwill tour through Italy, France, England and West Germany.

Frei's "journey of international understanding" was a first-class success. In Italy, he arranged for expanded trade and for technical assistance from Fiat, Marelli (electric motors) and Breda (railway equipment). In France, he picked up a $20 million line of credit, discussed access to French markets for finished and semifinished goods. "This would break all previous trade patterns imposed by France," said Frei. England agreed to consider sending its minister of overseas development to Chile to organize a plan for regional, Alianza-like development. West Germany discussed financial and technical aid for mineral studies in northern Chile.

Degrees of Discrepancy. Beyond the pledges of economic help, Frei's trip established a new feeling of understanding and community with Europe--not only on Chile's behalf but for all of Latin America. As Argentina's President Arturo Illia announced before the trip: "President Frei is considered a Latin American envoy to Europe."

Frei flew to Paris from Rome in Charles de Gaulle's personal Caravelle and got a warm reception from De Gaulle at the airport. At a press luncheon, Frei called for an "Alliance for Progress" between Europe and Latin America, then plucked a mildly anti-U.S. chord that warmed De Gaulle. "It is a fact," said Frei, "that the U.S. is a great world power and exerts hegemony in several parts of the world. We Latin Americans want a system without hegemony." Did this mean a cooling of U.S.-Chilean relations? Not at all, explained Frei. "The discrepancy that exists in important matters--such as the U.S. intervention in the Dominican Republic [which Frei opposed]--does not signify anything of the kind. Democracy functions with discrepancies."

After three sessions with De Gaulle, Frei flew on to London, where he dined with Queen Elizabeth and described his "revolution in liberty" to Prime Minister Harold Wilson. "For this," said Frei, "I need support. Great Britain, together with other important sectors of the world, can help by means of its understanding. Only this way can we clear the confusion that exists in some circles over the differences between Communism, revolution and reform." Just so there would be no misunderstandings, Whitehall reminded Frei that Britain stands with the U.S. on the Dominican Republic intervention.

Matter of Faith. At home, Frei faced more immediate problems. Though his Christian Democrats hold a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, he lacks control in the Senate. And last week the balky Senate threatened Frei's whole reform program, including his plan for "Chileanizing" the copper industry by buying into U.S. copper companies. Still, Frei hoped to use the profits of his trip as a lever on the Senate. "The world believes in and hopes for what is happening in Chile," he said last week. "It has faith in our country." It remained to be seen whether the Senate shared that faith.

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