October 1942 - With the Nacistas (Left) and the Communists (Right) on the rise,
President Gustavo Ross goes to Congress
Prelude: One of the biggest successes of the Ross Administration has been the tough and uncompromising stance of the President against what the Government denounces as "political extremism", constantly disarming pro-Communist or pro-Nazi groups and disrupting their various efforts, even rallying against their political parties and leaders. However, the results of the 1941 Congressional Election featured the rise of both the PCCh and MNS to a combination of almost 20% of the vote, a result that caused much alarm at La Moneda just as it emboldened both parties to pursue their respective causes regardless of the cost.
This concern was coupled with the sustained immigration into Chile of foreigners suspected to be German or Russian agents, and the continued instances of political violence undertaken by the MNS - including links to junior army offices who attempted a failed coup in late 1941 - and the PCCh - including attempted infiltration into unions and the army itself - which the Government has thus far held back, but considers to be a real danger. Having had enough of the instability President Ross has openly rallied against the MNS and the PCCh as "agents of Berlin and Moscow", and gone to Congress to request an urgent measure.
The Proposal: Itself an amendment to legislation passed by Alessandri, the Democracy and State Security Law would essentially uphold the democratic system by banning the anti-democratic political parties, essentially outlawing Chilean communism and national-socialism as "harmful to democracy, liberty and the sovereignty of the nation", banning its members from voting and from taking part in politics and giving the government sufficient powers to ensure pro-communist or pro-nazi groups are held at bay, President Ross justifying his proposal by noting that by not acting, a anti-democratic coup could one day succeed.
In Support: The leading voice in support of the bill is President Ross with the Liberal Party behind him, arguing that both extremist forces cannot be allowed to undermine democracy and that links to foreign agents are sufficiently documented to warrant decisive, urgent action. Also backed by a majority of the Conservatives, the Agrarians, a Radical majority and a faction of the Democratic Party, the move has proved surprisingly receptive within the Socialist Party despite their opposition role, the faction of Schnake and Ibañez denouncing the Nazis and Communists as "totalitarian, Stalinist or Hitlerian puppets".
Against: Arguing to reject the measure in Congress are the MNS and the PCCh, both furiously denouncing President Ross as a "fascist" and asserting that "he cannot shut down the will of the people". The opposition also gathers an odd alliance of elements with a credible chance at defeating the bill, which includes the social-christian minority within the Conservative Party, the Ibañistas, a minority of the Radicals, the other faction of the Democratic Party and the other more leftist faction within the Socialist Party, which considers it a dangerous precedent.
Two days, people get to decide whether Congress will pass this bill or not. And after this, the 1944 Presidential Election!
Poll
