ALESSANDRI PALMA, ARTURO

born Dec. 20, 1868, Longavi, Chile died Aug. 24, 1950, Santiago Alessandri Palma Chilean president (192025, 193238) who early defended workers' groups, especially the nitrate miners of the north, but later became more conservative. The son of an Italian immigrant, Alessandri was graduated in law from the University of Chile in 1893 and in 1897 was elected to the Chamber of Deputies. He was at various times minister of industry, minister of finance, congressman (six times), senator (twice), and president. Elected president in 1920 as the candidate of a liberal coalition, he was forced into exile by a military junta on Sept. 15, 1924, but was recalled, returning on March 20, 1925, on condition that the constitution be rewritten to give the president greater power. He became president again in 1932, but as a strict constitutionalist, depending primarily for support on the political right. Although he promoted economic recovery from the depression caused by decreased world demands for Chilean nitrates and copper, he had by then alienated most of his labour and middle-class support, who joined the Popular Front. When elected to the Senate in 1946, Alessandri again displayed liberal leanings.