THE COMMUNIST PATTERN IN CUBA; A REIGN BY TERROR AND TONGUE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP64B00346R000200170010-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 13, 2004
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: January 1, 1961
• Content Type: OPEN

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1961 absolutely indispensable to have intelligence ico. I think that one-they haven't won THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY.,,
agencies-and it has to do-it has to spy- it in Japan. The fact that the Japanese are OF THE RANDOLPH-SHEPPARD
it has to counterspy, which is just almost not-don't love Americans doesn't mean that T
as important as spying. It has to do a lot they're Communists. ACT
LD. Mr. President, this
of operations which wouldn't look very well Mr. SMITH. Well, the one question on Mr. MANSFIELD.
marks the LD Mr. rs t s
in print, but which every country does, such which Khrushchev and the President seemed
as occasionally slipping something to a poli- less pessimistic than on other questions was enactment of Public Law 732, known as
tician in a very backward country, or help- on Laos. Yet, recent events don't seem to
ing an editor who'll change his mind in a have borne out that relative optimism. the the R Ran 74th rd Act, have passed de by
by
backward country. And it's all very im- What do you think about that?
moral, but there's no use pretending that it Mr. LIPPMANN. I think the answer Is that many similar anniversaries of legisla-
isn't going to be done. The trouble with CIA Laos is not a primary vital interest to the tion passed by the Congress of the
has been, I think-I should have said one Soviet Union. Khrushch.ev regards it as United States, but this particular one is
thing is very doubtful-whether it should quite secondary, and it's not a primary in- of significant importance and merits our
ever mount expeditions like the Cuban expe- terest to the United States either. It's a attention today. At the same time we
dition, thats so big you can't keep it secret, country which is remote, very difficult to get pay tribute to a distinguuished colleague
and therefore, it's bound to fail. But really at, very unsuited to American military type pay Bute guidance a isci years ago, gue , 25 secret things are an inevitable part of gov- of American power-military power. There under legislation was enacted. I
ernment. What they did in the CIA was are no roads in it, no ports, no airfields, and particular
to take all these tihngs and put them in one I think that it's a wise thing for a country refer to the distinguished senior Senator
thing-everything focused on the head of to measure its-to tailor its policy to its mil- from West Virginia [Mr. RANDOLPH], who
one man, who never knew whether he was itary powers. was at that time a Member of the House
trying to tell the President what was the Mr. SMITH. Well, do you believe in what's of Representatives. The late Senator
truth about something or other, or what called the Domino theory, and that is that Morris Sheppard, who cosponsored the
ought to be done, and there ought to be no if we lose Laos, then we'll lose Thailand, legislation in the Senate, realized with
connection between the two. and so on, until we've lost all southeast great tatisfactihe Sent e, had partiCi-
Mr. SMITH. Well, just after the Cuban de- Asia because of this one country2
bacle, you said that the Joint Chiefs and -Mr. LIPPMANN. I remember the Domino pated in one of the most humanitarian
the head of the CIA had to go. Do you still theory first was brought up in the Middle pieces of legislation ever enacted by
feel that way? East, and I remember when people said Congress.
Mr. LIPPMANN. I do. I think it's going to Nasser made a deal with the Soviets about The purpose of the Randolph-
be done too-I hope with as little bloodshed arms, and they said, "Ali, Egypt's gone"- Sheppard Act is to provide blind persons
as possible, but I think the CIA, itself, may then Syria was gone, and then Iraq. None of remunerative employment, to en-
taken and be dissolved into its parts them is gone, and I don't consider Laos gone. with large their economic a Oppormuni t and
taken over in different directions. Laos is not going to be what we rather fool- thereby it stimulate poor ni es, and
Mr. SMITH. Well, in all these setbacks in ishly, I think, 2 or 3 years ago, tried to make
which the CIA has been involved, the Presi- it-an American satellite, whatever you like efforts in order that they might become
dent, in a speech, has implied, and many of to call it. I mean, putting in a government self-supporting. In accomplishing this
his aides have said, quite frankly to us that suited us-and that is not possible. objective, the law grants the privilege to
reporters, in private, that they consider the Mr. SMITH. Well, Mr. Lippmann, in the blind persons to operate vending stands
press to be a limitation on our effectiveness course of our long conversation in which on Federal properties. Surveys of non-
in carrying out policy-a free press un- we've ranged over many subjects, you have Federal buildings are made to find sim-
restrained. What do you think about that? been opposed to taking action, military, blind persons. The
Do you agree with that? forceful action in Laos, or unilateral action liar Federal opportunities department for which administers
Mr. LIPPMANN. They're very confused in Cuba. You have said you're in favor of
about all that. I think, in some ways, the negotiations over Berlin, which may involve the act has authority to make surveys of
press-there are some things the press might making concessions to the Russians over industrial plants, with the cooperation of
do better or differently or not at all than Berlin. What would be your answer to those State vocational rehabilitation officers,
it does. But what they were complaining who would say that this is a policy of ap- in an attempt to find industrial processes
about was something that they have-there's peasement? which blind persons can perform on a
no criticism being made of it, namely that Mr. LIPPMANN. My answer to that would be par with sighted persons.
the Cuban expedition was-that the news that you can't decide these questions of life During these past 25 years many thou-
of that was published to the world before it and death for the world by epithets like ap- sands of blind persons have been made
happened. I consider it the duty of the peasement. Furthermore, I think the rea-
press pelf-sufficient under the prOV1S10riS of
to expose that kind of thing to the sons for doing what I advocate, are based on Randolph-. t Sheppard ActTheir of
light of day, because I don't think a democ- the soundest, strategical principle, and that the racy like this should have secret training is this: The Soviet Union is not engaged in standing performance in industrial oc-
camps and secret armies and secret navies any of these places. It hasn't sent its troops cupations has been an inspiration to
in foreign countries-all in violation of its anywhere. As long as it isn't engaged, we their fellow employees and an object
treaties and its own laws. mustn't be engaged. We must always keep lesson to their employers. When this
Mr. SMITH. You once said that one of the the central power, which is the ultimate de- country was plunged into World War II,
proudest achievements of your career was terrent to the future-to war by the Soviet the results of industrial surveys made
that you once exposed an incident like that. Union intact, as long as they're intact, but possible results this legislation were made
Could you tell me what that was? if we get ourselves involved in a Korean war known to the Federal and State e
Mr. LIPPMANN. Well, that was many years in Indochina, and all our reserves begin flow-
ago when there was a grave threat of the ing that way, or get ourselves involved in a cies in charge of manpower, and ca-
invasion of Mexico, yes, in the twenties. thing we can't finish in Cuba, because the pable blind persons took their places
Mr. SMITH. And what did you do? guerrilla war may go on forever, then we alongside of their sighted coworkers in
Mr. LIPPMANN. Well, I was editor of the will weaken ourselves for what is really the industrial plants from coast to coast.
New York World, and we shrieked and issue, which is to keep the balance of power Studies made of the work record of these
howled about it much more than anybody between ourselves and the Soviet Union In-
has done about Cuba, and I think we had tact, and that's the principle on which- oe rplo was as high a that of pro-
some effect. I think we had the effect of that's the principle I have in the back of my ductis stopping it. mind in taking a position about not inter- sighted fellow workers. Their industrial
Mr. SMITH. Well, to me, the chief paradox vening in Laos, for example. I don't agree accident experience was much lower
of the time we live in is, that most of the with the people who think that we have to than that of sighted workers. This was
resources and the skills and the wealth of go out and shed a little blood to prove we're largely due to the fact that their indus-
the world are with the Western nations; virile men. This is too serious a business for trial placement was carefully selected
yet, the Communist nations appear to be that kind of thinking, and in regard to Cuba, by trained placement officers plus the
winning the competition we call the cold my feeling was not only that, but also that fact trained blind placement
workers are not he
war. How do you explain that? we had no-it was illegal for us to do it, and factract t b is the case of are not work-
dis
easily LIPPMANN. I think that's an exagger- we cannot go into the business of violating
ation, really, and somewhat of an optical il- treaties. We're not that kind of country. ers. Blind workers today are contribut-
lusion. They are winning it in the most And then behind that all, lies a very personal ing to the national defense effort by their
backward and reactionary places, but I don't and human feeling-that I don't think old outstanding work in many of our large
consider that they're winning it in-they men ought to promote wars for young men to industrial plants.
are not winning it in Europe. In spite of fight. I don't like warlike old men. I think ovision of the
Castro, I don't believe they're going to win it's their business to try as best they can, The Randolph-Sheppard vending stand Act prhas also been the
it in Brazil, which is going to be determined by whatever wisdom they can find, to avert a
more than anything else what happens in what would be an absolutely irreparable tremendous success for our blind citi-
South America. They haven't won it in Mex- calamity for the world, zens. The records of the Office of Voca-
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ONG SSIONAL CORD - SENATE June 16
, tional Rehabilitation of the Department )THE COMMUNIST PATTERN IN Ambassador Hill urged the adoption
of Health, Education, and Wefare, which CUBA: A REIGN BY TERROR AND of a complete air and sea embargo to be
administers the Randolph-Sheppard Act. TON
-T"
vending stand program. During the fis- Mr. KEATING. Mr. President, this of American States, a move which I pro-
Cal year ending June 30, 1960, there were morning the fourth and last article in a posed several months ago in this body.
2,078 vending stands in Federal and non- series on Castro's Communist rule ap- As the former Ambassador to Mexico,
Federal buildings operated by 2,216 blind peared in the New York Times. The ar- Costa Rica, and El Salvador stated, the
persons whose annual gross sales titles, by R. Hart Phillips, the first of shipments of Red arms to Cuba are in
amounted to $38,219,340 with net prof- which I inserted in the RECORD on Mon- violation of numerous treaties. Mrs.
its to the operators of $7,541,304. These day, demonstrate that the typical pat- Phillips' third article reveals that Che
figures grow with each passing year and tern of communism, which we have seen Guevara told the people in a speech that,
this fact alone is proof of the practi- in Russia and Red China, is being ruth- actually, Cuba had no reserves. To-
cability of the vending stand program lessly practiced by the Cuban dictator. day's article states that, "A total embargo
for blind persons. Castro is choking out the heartbeat of would certainly create greater dissatis-
With respect to the importance of this democracy among the peoples of Cuba, faction in Cuba," and as Ambassador
legislation to blind persons, I quote from for whom the United States has long had Hill stated Monday, , cutting off the re-
a statement made by Mr. Hulen C. a warm regard. sources of U.S. dollars to Castro would
Walker, executive director of the Amer- Day and night, Castro floods the be very effective.
ican Association of Workers for the Cuban people, whom he has cut off from Mr. President, I ask unanimous con-
Blind, who said: every other source of information, with sent to have printed following my re-
Two of the most important his lies and Communist propaganda. In marks the last three New York Times
milestones
affecting the lives of blind persons have been this attempted indoctrination, he has articles, which are excellent analyses of
the invention of braille by Louis Braille of followed the traditional Communist pat- Castro's totalitarian regime.
France in 1829 and the passage of the Ran- tern of a supposed threat of constant ag- There being no objection, the articles
dolph-Sheppard Act by the Congress of the gression from the outside, which he were ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
United States in 1936. The braille system creates by inciting and inflaming mobs as follows:
was truly the beacon of light which enabled into a white-heat of hatred against the [From the New York Times, June 13, 1961]
the blind to be removed from an existence TT...i4..A
of literature and learning. The Randolph- Lnreat, he has terrorized and repressed AND ARMS
Sheppard Act has brought about universal any protesting voices of Cuban patriots. (Second of four articles)
recognition of the capabilities of blind per- Castro shows his inhumanity and dem- (By R. Hart Phillips)
sons to earn a living for themselves and for agogic love of power by following the Premier Fidel Castro rules Cuba today by
their dependents and thereby are enabled Communist pattern of developing the the magic of his voice and the power of the
to live normal and useful lives in their re- State's power through arms and heavy rifle. ':If Fidel should lose his voice he would
spective communities. machinery. He completely ignores the be overthrown in 2 months," one Cuban
The Members of Congress today are Cuban people's desire and need for con- remarked bitterly after having listened to
proud to take cognizance of the impor- Sumer goods. Under Castro's dictatorial the Premier whip an audience of thousands
tance of the Randolph-Sheppard Act rule, the Cuban people must depend upon of to a the fever United pitch States. loyalty to him and hatred
and we congratulate the Federal and him for jobs, housing, food, clothing, edu- State government departments and their cation, pensions, information, entertain- spoke ilevery 10wdays oro 2 weeksr vertra
staffs for having done an excellent job ment and recreation. Castro, of course, nationwide radio and television network.
in the administration of this legisla- promised sugar pie, but he is giving them Now, as opposition rises against him, he
tion which has meant so much to many vinegar. His great national promises are speaks as often as three times a week.
thousands of our blind citizens who are sweet, but his gross national product is The Premier once conceded that if he did
the beneficiaries of this program, turning sour. not speak frequently the people became "con-
Thethird pattern of communism which fused" and lost some of their enthusiasm
Castro is following down the line is that for the aims and sacrifices ai his revolution.
WHAT GOES UP of establishing his iron-ruled Cuba as a Indoctrination is the daily diet of the Cubans. by
Mr. KEATING. Mr. President, the central base for Communist prop Premier. aganda, It follows closely the line set the Day after day excerpts s from m hi s
t
new administration has officially re- infiltration, subversion and interference speeches are broadcast over the Government
quested a $5,billion increase in the ceil- in Peace-loving Latin American States. radio stations to inspire more patriotic fer-
ing on our national debt. His diplomatic corps, his propaganda vor and more hatred against the United
President Kennedy's projected budget machines, and any other instruments States.
for the coming fiscal year is already out Castro can find, are promoting Castro- WORKER IS SPURRED
of balance by more than $5 billion. At type revolutions throughout South Amer- The average Cuban worker awakens in the
present, the national debt ceiling is ica. What Russia had done to Eastern morning to hear the Government station of
somewhere around $293 billion, while Europe, what Red China is trying to do his choice urging him to produce more and
to d the volution from a f-
our total debt is about $290 billion. This in Laos and other Asian nations, Castro t
o eeattack by the United Stat s.CeHe is en-
$5 billion deficit plus the $3 billion lee- is attempting from his home base of couraged by being told of the arrival of ship-
way presently available does .not, I hope, Cuba. ments of merchandise from the Soviet Union,
indicate that we face a budgetary deficit The New York Times articles supple- Communist China or other Communist
approaching the combined total of the ment the very valuable testimony of for- countries and of their great and disinter-
two-$8 billion. mer Ambassador Robert C. Hill, which ested friendship for Cuba.
The inflationary consequences of a $5 the Senate Internal Security Subcommit- Interspersed with this news are pledges of
to $8 billion deficit are serious indeed. tee heard Monday. Ambassador Hill, a support from groups of workers, students and
If in good times--and our economy is man with long experience peasants in other rou s in the Communist
Presently on the upgrade-we in Amer- and similar groups in the Communist
Y cannot scan affairs, testified testified that t Castro's dicta_ coouufrontries,
maintain a balanced Federal budget, torial regime has been Communist from The worker also hears some current report
then we are in for real trouble. the start, using a corps of technicians about the "criminal discrimination" against
Mr. President, permit me to make a from Peiping and Moscow, even in 1959. t Negroes in the situation in United this states, the and Washoy-
unem
scientific observation. Our Federal debt As Mrs. Phillips states in her second ar- men country and Wa-
clearly illustrates the fallacy of Newton's title, Castro's present propaganda Ington's latest "aggression" against Cuba.
law that what goes up must come down. agency, Prensa Latina, is allied with The worker must listen for by his mili-
Perhaps we should have a Federal fiscal Tass, the Soviet instrument of distortion, mtia unit eets of labor meetings or calls by his ili-
corollary to Newton's law; what goes up and Hsinhua, the Chinese Communist semblies toorbe forTespecial idnuty T to ee are
will more likely than not keep going up. agency of propaganda.
broadcast daily.
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1961 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE 9859
]later the worker buys a copy of Revolu-
ci8n, the official organ of Premier Castro's
26th of July movement, or of El Mundo,
also a Government-owned newspaper, or
Hoy, the official Communist Party news-
paper. In these, he finds the same news he
has heard over the radio, except in greater
detail.
His knowledge of events abroad is limited
to the slanted dispatches of Prensa Latina,
the propaganda press agency established by
Premier Castro many months ago. Prensa
Latina, which is allied with Tass, the Soviet
press agency, and Hsinhua, the Chinese
Communist agency, now operates through-
out the world.
During the working day, which is believed
to have been increased from 8 hours to
about 10 since most workers have volun-
teered to work extra hours for the revolu-
tion, the worker maintains the proper atti-
tude of enthusiasm for the present and fu-
ture activities of the Government. He usu-
ally wears his militia uniform to work and
after the working day ends he goes on guard
duty at his own plant or at some other na-
tionalized enterprise. If he does not go on
guard duty, he may be assigned to supple-
ment the police on patrol.
If there is a big labor rally, he marches,
from the plant to the appointed place and
cheers frenzied orators for several hours be-
fore he goes home to sleep the few remain-
ing hours of the night.
Meanwhile, his wife, if she is not a mem-
ber of the militia with an assignment, is at-
tending a meeting of the national woman's
organization or perhaps a meeting of the
neighborhood Committee for Defense of the
Revolution, which spies on Its neighbors and
does volunteer indoctrination work.
Or she may be teaching a group of illiter-
ates as part of the year of education pro-
gram for which so many women have volun-
teered.
SOMETHING FOR THE CHILDREN
The worker's children, dressed in the uni-
form of the Rebel Youth or some other revo-
lutionary organization, usually are some-
where participating in the activities of such
organizations.
Any television program the family may see
is filled with indoctrination and praise of
the Cuban revolution, whether it is an inter-
view with some foreign visitor, a panel dis-
cussion, a speech by some official, a soap
opera or a film. When this correspondent
left Havana the public was being urged
daily by television to read a book on Marxist
doctrine just published by the National
Printing Shop.
The indoctrination program of the Castro
government has four aims: -
First, to convince the Cuban people that
the United States is the greatest enemy of
Cuba and of all the "humble" of the world.
Second, to persuade them that the Com-
munist system is the only hope for world
peace and prosperity.
Third, to make them believe they are much
better off and happier than previously.
Fourth, to destroy the Influence of the
Roman Catholic Church.
Every possible medium is utilized in this
program and there is no disagreement among
Cubans that it is being carried out with ex-
pertness and efficiency. With the Govern-
ment operating the radio and television sta-
tions, printing the newspapers and thousands
of books at cheap prices, directing all cul-
tural and 'sports activities, cutting off the
people from their former contact with the
capitalist countries, which are constantly
attacked, the campaign Is having an effect.
INSTITUTE OF FRIENDSHIP
An important organ in Premier Castro's
campaign for worldwide support of his revo-
lution is the Institute of Friendship, which
was established several months ago.
The institute acts as the liaison between
foreign visitors and the Government. It also
is taking charge of invitations to foreign
officials and delegations of students, work-
ers, professional persons and others.
Moreover, the institute works closely with
foreign correspondents. Visiting correspond-
ents from the Communist countries are in-
vited on tours, lavishly entertained, featured
on television and radio programs and inter-
viewed by the local press.
Newsmen from neutral countries, and
Britain, France, and other Western countries
are welcomed and cooperation is extended.
However, a West German correspondent said
recently that once the institute had estab-
lished that she was not from East Germany
she had been treated coldly and had not been
invited anywhere.
Most visiting correspondents are shown
cooperatives, state farms, housing projects,
new hospitals and schools-in general, the
best examples the Government has to offer.
For many months the favorite coopera-
tive to be shown to visitors has been what
is known as the Sainz Bros. tobacco
plantation in Pinar del Rio Province.
Several hundred workers on the plantation,
which was owned by an official of the Batista
regime, once lived in small, insanitary huts.
Now they live In houses built into a small
town around a school and a Government
store. The homes are painted in pastel
shades and have modern plumbing and elec-
tricity.
The workers are happy and the coopera-
tive, which is in Cuba's finest tobacco dis-
trict, is thriving.
During visits under Government super-
vision to areas such as this, the visiting cor-
respondent is unlikely to meet anyone who
is critical of the regime. Moreover, Dr. Cas-
tro's declaration that anyone who speaks
critically of his government Is a counter-
revolutionary has effectively silenced the
usually talkative Cubans.
The fact that a foreign correspondent finds
no overt opposition to the government often
leads him to believe Dr. Castro's contention
that the regime is supported by all the
Cuban people.
DIRECTED AT YOUTH
The Premier has directed his greatest in-
doctrination effort toward the youth. Edu-
cation has become synonymous with indoc-
trination.
This year has been named by the Premier,
an avid phrasemaker, as the "Year of Educa-
tion," during which Illiteracy is to be wiped
out. This commendable project has opened
a new channel to the minds of the Cuban
youth and the masses.
The idea of a youthful "Army of Educa-
tion," which was put forward several months
ago by the Premier, caught the imagination
of the children and teen-agers, already fired
by the desire to emulate the tall, bearded
revolutionary hero, who has turned the is-
land into an armed camp. The Premier set
the number of this army at 100,000.
Children from the sixth grade through
high school who were called by the Premier
jubilantly joined the "Army of Education"
despite the protests of the majority of their
parents. Schools were closed in April and
will not be opened until next January.
The selected boys and girls are being or-
ganized into uniformed brigades and given
special courses of indoctrination that they
are to pass on to the peasants whom they
teach to read and write. The primer to be
used in teaching the peasants and the
teachers' manual are masterpieces of indoc-
trination. It is almost certain that the
peasant will be imbued with the prescribed
Socialist ideas and hatred of the United
States as he learns his letters.
INDOCTRINATE OR LIQUIDATE
The Premier takes the position that those
Cubans who cannot be indoctrinated into
becoming his enthusiastic followers must be
dealt with severely. He has repeatedly de-
clared that every person who does not sup-
port . his revolution is a counterrevolu-
tionary.
This motivated his recent order that for-
eign-born Catholic priests be expelled.
These priests, the Premier contended, were
"poisoning the minds of the Cuban youth
against the revolution." Yet the Premier
has carefully refrained from attacking the
Catholic Church itself. It is the "Fascist
priests in the pay of the imperialistic United
States" who are the target.
Last year faithful Castro followers estab-
lished a religious organization known as
"With the Cross and With the Fatherland."
Although not recognized by the Catholic
Church, this organization frequently holds
masses. The few priests who participate in
these religious rites are stanch supporters of
the revolution.
Last Mothers' Day, just after the foreign
priests were ordered to leave the island, the
government brought 10,000 peasant mothers
to Havana to participate in a special observ-
ance of that day. A mass was held in the
big Plaza Civics at which the Reverend Guil-
lermo Sardinas, a major in the Cuban Army,
officiated. Father Sardinas spent a year and
a half with Dr. Castro's rebel troops during
the 2-year revolution that overthrew the
regime of Fulgencio Batista. He is the only
priest who wears an olive green robe, the
same color as the army uniform. He also
wears the insignia of his rank on the shoul-
der of the robe.
RITES ARE BROADCAST
Although there were only a few churches
in which mass was celebrated that Sunday,
the Plaza Civica rites were broadcast over
a nationwide television and radio network
to demonstrate that the anger of the Castro
regime was directed against the priests and
not against the Catholic religion. A revo-
lutionary aspect was given to the mass by
the singing of the national anthem and the
"26th of July Movement's March."
Harsh repressive measures are used by the
Premier against his enemies. They are kept
under surveillance by the Committees for
Defense of the Revolution, which are com-
posed of voluntary spies for the Government.
According to the Government radio, there
are thousands of these committees. But
when this correspondent left Cuba the radios
were calling for 600,000 more volunteers to
establish additional committees.
The thousands of army intelligence men,
policemen and militia continually make ar-
rests. Whenever a person disappears his
relatives first look for him in one of the
prisons. This is highly difficult because most
of the time information as to the where-
abouts of the prisoner is refused. There is
no habeas corpus procedure.
The prisoners are held for days without
questioning and without knowing the crime
with which they are charged. Many times
they are released without explanation only
to be arrested again later.
The sanitary conditions of the prisons are
deplorable and the food served is highly
deficient. Medical attention is almost non-
existant. Protests presented months ago by
the relatives of prisoners through the Inter-
national Red Cross and the United Nations
Committee on Human Rights have appar-
ently been ignored. The Castro regime is
said to have rejected a Red Cross request
for permission to inspect the prisons.
Military courts continue to function and
death sentences are imposed for crimes of
terrorism and sabotage. Once an individual
Is brought before one of these courts his
chances of acquittal are slight.
Most wealthy Cubans have long since fled
from the island as have thousands of middle-
class property owners. Those who remain are
reduced in many cases to dire poverty. -
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE June 16
Most middle-class Cubans have only one
thought-to escape from the island. How-
ever, this is impossible in most cases.
Many of them have become hopeless and
bitter. "Give Castro 2 more years in power,"
one Cuban said, "and Cuba will be Com-
munist forever."
[From the New York Times, June 15, 1961)
CUBANS GRUMBLE OVER SHORTAGES--REDS
SEND HEAVY GOODS, BUT FEW CONSUMER
ITEMS
(By R. Hart Phillips)
(Third of four articles)
The owner of a tiny roadside stand selling
.coffee at 3 cents a cup and a few groceries
in Camaguey Province recently leaned
against the counter and spoke sadly to his
lone customer,
"Yankee Imperialism may be a bad thing
but when we had Yankee Imperialism I had
plenty of things to sell," he said, gesturing
toward his empty shelves. "Now I have noth-
ing to sell and I can't make a living."
This is the greatest problem of Premier
Fidel Castro's Socialist state today.. Con-
sumer goods are becoming scarcer as the
months go by.
Big freighters steam into Cuban harbors
bringing steel plates, prefabricated factories,
tractors and trucks, and tankers unload mil-
lions of gallons of petroleum-all from the
Soviet Union and other Communist coun-
tries. But food, clothing, household appli-
ances and all the other everyday items to
which the Cubans have become accustomed
over the years do not arrive.
RICE FROM RED CHINA
When this correspondent left Havana re-
cently, the groceries had bags of rice from
Communist China, canned lobster and beef
from the Soviet Union, at high prices, and
strawberry jam from Poland. But there was
no cheese or butter, no breakfast food, no
peanut cooking oil, no fish, fresh lobsters or
pork.
For the first time since the Castro regime
came to power, housewives were forced to
stand in line to buy beef.
The jtems becoming more and more scarce
included milk, eggs, chickens, beans, flour,
salt, drugs, cosmetics, toilet paper, razor
blades, writing paper and pencils, erasers,
textiles, pots and pans and cutlery. Sud-
denly, several weeks ago, there was no beer.
The people were stunned. "But there has
to be, we've always had beer," one workman
protested.
The most frequent phrase heard in all
commercial establishments in Cuba is the
terse "no hay," meaning "there is none." A
former President of Cuba discussing the
Cuban situation with a reporter recently was
asked if he thought Premier Castro would
be overthrown. "He might be-by no hay,"
the old man said whimsically.
The Cuban Government is the sole im-
porter and exporter. All the former privately
owned industries and commercial enterprises
are owned and operated by the Government.
It is the producer of agricultural products,
the operator of all transportation and com-
munications, the owner of all city property
and most of the land on the island. In
other words, most of the Cuban people must
depend on the Government for food, cloth-
ing, employment, education, entertainment
and information, pensions and recreation.
PRICES ARE FIXED
There are still many small merchants,
particularly in the towns, but these mer-
chants must buy from the Government at
fixed prices, sell at fixed profits, pay their
employees as directed by the Government
and open and close their establishments as
ordered. Most of these merchants are Span-
lards and they are a sad, frustrated group.
How long this last stronghold of private
enterprise will remain is problematical.
Premier Castro has already promised the
people he will eliminate the "interme-
diaries," who, he said, are to be blamed for
the high prices in Cuba.
The Castro regime's attempt to increase
greatly the production of food and manu-
factured articles has met with no notable
success. Despite the Government's optimis-
tic statements, reports from the interior in-
dicate that there has been little increase.
Premier Castro even conceded recently
that the program to raise hogs for food and
lard had failed, but he assured the people
that steps had been taken to reorganize the
effort and to produce a quantity of vegetable
cooking oils. Meanwhile, millions of pounds
of lard are still being imported from the
United States. The American embargo
against exports to Cuba does not affect food
or medicine, but Cuba's lack of dollars holds
imports of these to a minimum.
U.S. CONTINUES PURCHASES
Nevertheless, the United States is still buy-
ing between $70 million and $80 million
worth of Cuban products a year. These im-
ports are mostly tobacco, fruits and veg-
etables. The dollars received by Cuba are
being used whenever possible to buy prod-
ucts from Western Europe rather than from
the United States. For instance, the Cu-
ban Government has just announced that
large quantities of medical supplies have
been purchased from Switzerland.
Premier Castro has always maintained
that his agrarian reform is the basis of his
revolution. Under the agrarian reform law,
most of the country's land was seized. Big
and small rice, sugar and tobacco planta-
tions, cattle ranches, vegetable and fruit
farms, and even timber lands were taken
over by the Government. The law provided
for payment of some indemnity for this
property, but the bonds that the law said
would constitute the indemnity have not
been printed, so far as is known.
Under the law, the landless were to be
given 262/3 acres each. About 22,000 titles
have been distributed. Those receiving the
land may never sell or mortgage it and only
one child may inherit It. The peasants must
grow _ the crops ordered by the National
Agrarian Reform Institute, accept supervi-
sion and deliver their crops to the institute
at the price fixed.
Premier Castro recently urged at a meet-
ing of small farmers that they form cooper-
atives, retaining their lands but pooling
their machinery, labor, and resources. The
farmers would be given Government loans
on this basis. It was noted in Havana that
this followed the pattern set by Communist
China before Peiping decided to dispense
with all private ownership of land.
COOPERATIVES ESTABLISHED
Under the agrarian reform law, the Gov-
ernment established hundreds of coopera-
tives. Titles of the land were held by the
cooperative and its members were to divide
the profits. These have failed because of
mismanagement and a lack of agricultural
experts. There have been no profits. In
fact, the Government is said to have suffered
huge losses.
The proof of this is that the cooperatives
are being converted into state farms.- On
the state farms, the Government owns the
land and employs the workers, who are given
houses in which to live and are paid daily
wages.
The inducement offered the peasants on
state farms, according to Premier Castro, is
a plan under which the Government will
feed, clothe, and educate all the children
of the working peasants. This is fair, Dr.
Castro said, because it will place the man
with 10 children on the same economic level
as the man with 3.
Is the peasant better off than he was under
the private enterprise system? Premier
Castro assures him constantly that he is.
The peasant is receiving lower wages Shan
he did before the Castro regime came to
power and is working longer hours, but he
has almost steady employment Instead of the
few months of labor required by the sugar
industry and other agricultural enterprises.
EATS SAME FOOD
He eats about the same simple food as
before. Rice and beans were his principal
foods previously. Now there is rice, but few
beans. He may have meat occasionally and
on the cooperatives and state farms he has
milk for himself and family, which was
formerly a luxury.
He also has vegetables, as before, including
"malanga," which once the very poor ate'
when they had nothing else. He chants the
revolutionary slogan that says that even if
he has to eat malanga he is with Fidel. At
the same-time, he faces the same shortages
as the rest of the inhabitants, such as those
of soap and lard.
The peasant's children are being educated
and indoctrinated with Socialist ideas and
taught loyalty to Fidel, the maximum leader.
But the peasant has changed his view-
point on life. For the first time he has
achieved a sense of self-importance. He
eagerly joins the militia, wears his uniform
and carries a rifle or, machinegun with pride,
doing long- hours of guard duty with a
pleasant sense of authority.
He goes to local meetings or is taken by
the government to Havana for big rallies
where he cheers the Premier, who tells him
that the revolution Is only for the long op-
pressed masses of Cuba. He listens with
pleasure to scathing criticism of the former
wealthy and property-owning classes as Pre-
mier Castro whips up class hatred. And he
hears with satisfaction that the land, the
factories, in fact the entire island, belongs
to the people.
URBAN REFORM LAW
Another important step by Premier Castro
was the urban reform law, which was to
make every man a homeowner. But this is
proving somewhat of an illusion, according
to many Cubans. At the beginning of the
Castro regime rents were reduced 20 to 50
percent. Then, under the reform law, all
residences and apartment houses became the
property of the occupant.
Later the renter found that he was buying
his home from the government and paying
the same rent he formerly paid to the private
owner. And the government is proving to
be extremely hardhearted. If payment is
not made by the 15th of the month, there is
a small surcharge. If no payment Is made,
the salary of the purchaser is garnisheed or
his automobile, if he has one, may be
attached.
Some of the former renters do not want to
buy the houses in which they are living. In
fact, there are thousands who have refused
to become the owners of their houses or
apartments.
For instance, a former tourist chauffeur
told this correspondent that his wife had re-
fused to become the owner of their apart-
ment because it needed painting. Since he
did not have the money to pay for the paint-
ing, the chauffeur went to Urban Reform of-
ficials, but they refused to discuss it. There-
fore, he said, he was paying his rent as usual
but had not filled out the document that
would have made him the owner.
In a town in the interior, a man who lived
in a shack told a friend:
"I am still living in this old hut, as you
see, and paying the Government 15 pesos a
month and now they tell me I'm the owner.
I don't want it, but I have to pay for it."
Meanwhile, at least until the Government
can build thousands of houses, it is almost
Impossible for anyone to move to a new
home. The Urban Reform headquarters in
Havana said recently that it had 6,000 houses
.available and 100,000 applications.
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those who fled from the island, but they are
being occupied by Government officials and
employes, officers of the army, newly estab-
lished foreign embassies and the many fore-
ign technicians now in Cuba.
PAYMENTS ARE ORDERED
Just before this correspondent left Havana
it was announced that no one could live In
a house without paying the Government.
Anyone occupying a house he had taken over
without Government permission was warned
to leave or be subject to a prison sentence.
At the same time, the new home owner
finds that If the roof falls in or the faucet
leaks it must be repaired at his expense.
There is still some confusion as to who is
paying the water bill and the city taxes.
At present, no one seems to be paying these,
but eventually it will be the new owner.
This is all added expense above the rent he
previously paid, He will receive a title to
the property, according to the law, within 5
to 20 years, depending on when the house
was built.
The industrial, commercial or transporta-
tion worker finds himself with lower wages
and longer hours.
He never paid an income tax, but now he
pays a 3 percent labor tax, a 4 percent volun-
tary contribution to the Government indus-
trialization program, 5 percent for social se-
curity, his union dues and the long-estab-
lished maternity tax. As a result, about 15
percent is deducted from his wages monthly.
LABOR 80DY IS WEAK
The once-powerful Confederation of Cu-
ban Workers, which fought for higher wages
and other benefits for the workers, is now a
mere instrument of the Government.
"The only thing the confederation does
now is demand more sacrifices from the
workers," one worker grumbled to a close
friend. He did not say this in public, since
such a remark would be considered coun-
ter-revolutionary.
Workers are "ordered," not requested, to
attend meetings. Thousands of them have
yielded to pressure and joined the militia
reluctantly with the other thousands who
joined enthusiastically. Some are still re-
sisting, but it is reported to be becoming
more and more difficult to hold a job with-
out joining the militia.
The unemployment situation in Cuba is
difficult to assess. Premier Castro says he
has solved this problem and that there is
even a shortage of workers now. It was said
at the time Dr. Castro took power that Cuba
had 700,000 unemployed. But statistics
have never been even reasonably accurate in
Cuba.
The greatly publicized shortage of cane
cutters for the present sugar crop resulted
from several factors. About 500,000 work-
ers and peasants were-and still are-
guarding the cities, towns and villages, and
manning the artillery, antiaircraft and an-
titank guns that are deployed at every beach,
along highways, in mountains and swamps
awaiting the expected invasion of mercena-
ries of U.S. troops. Moreover, many of the
former cane cutters were working on co-
operatives or state farms. Finally, the low
price paid for cane cutting this year was not
an inducement to former workers.
At the same time, thousands of youths
from 15 to 20 years old are members of the
labor brigades, which carry out volunteer
work for the Government in the interior.
These youths are given military training,
some education, much indoctrination, and
experience in some form of work such as
clearing land of helping to build houses.
They are not paid wages but receive food
and uniforms.
Added to these are several thousand vol-
unteer schoolteachers, who have been given
military training and indoctrination and
sent into the interior to teach in places
where no schools previously existed. They
receive a low salary compared with the
former scale in Cuba.
The ranks of unemployed in towns and
cities have been greatly increased. Purges
of workers in industrial and commercial
enterprises have left hundreds jobless. These
purges have been going on for weeks and
those purged are the workers who do not
show sufficient enthusiasm for the revolu-
tion. Several months ago, about 300 were
dismissed in a purge of the Cuban Electric
Co. There is little chance to obtain new
employment, since the Government is vir-
tually the only employer.
Throughout the island many small busi-
nesses have failed, either from lack of mer-
chandise or competition from the Govern-
ment "stores of the people." The importing
and exporting business has been wiped out,
because the Government is the sole im-
porter and exporter. Even customs brokers
can no longer operate, since the Government
pays no import or export duty and Govern-
ment departments handle clearance of mer-
chandise.
THOUSANDS LAID OFF
In the reorganization now going on in all
administrative departments of the Govern-
ment, thousands of employees have been
put on the "extra" list. The consolidation
of newspapers, cigarette and cigar factories,
breweries and other industries has placed
more workers on the same list. So far, the
Government continues to pay the salaries of
these workers. However, many of them fear
this will not go on very long.
The actual financial position of the Gov-
ernment is known only to the top leaders.
Figures obtained, which have no claim to
accuracy, Indicate that deficits are huge.
The National Bank of Cuba statement shows
that since the beginning of the Castro re-
gime, when there were about 450 million
pesos in circulation, the Government has
issued up to 1,500 million pesos.
Maj. Ernesto Guevara, former president
of the National Bank of Cuba and now
Minister of Industries, told the people in
a speech that actually Cuba had no reserves.
The Government is apparently living on a
hand-to-mouth basis so far as foreign ex-
change is concerned. Every U.S. dol-
lar received from exports is rationed out
to buy commodities that cannot be obtained
from the Communist countries with which
Cuba has barter contracts.
There is little inflation in Cuba because,
although there is little to buy, with the re-
duction In wages there does not seem to be
much money in the hands of the public.
Most persons buy only necessities.
The recreational facilities, such as new
beaches and resorts built by Premier Castro,
are said to be losing heavily. The movie
theaters, the dance hails and even the newly
established workers' social centers are not
filled.
The worker has neither the money nor
the time to spend. His extra militia duty
after work. the meetings he must attend
and the voluntary labor he donates leave
little time for recreation.
In Havana, the streets are almost empty
by 10 o'clock at night. The famous Tropi-
cana nightclub now has a minimum of $1.25,
but few customers. The youth of the is-
land is marching, drilling, and going to in-
doctrination meetings, which consume much
time.
The Cuban economy still depends on the
sugar crop. This year 4 million tons have
been sold to the Communist nations at
4 cents a pound. But Cuba must accept
products in exchange for this sugar. Some
Cuban officials are complaining that the
Communist countries are charging too much
for their products, this greatly reducing the
return on the sugar crop.
MARKETS SOUGHT FOR SURPLUS
The remainder of this year's crop, which
the Government hopes will exceed 6 million
tons, must be sold to other countries to get
U.S. dollars or British pounds if possible.
The United States, which formerly bought
about 3 million tons of sugar a year at a
price about 2 cents above the world market
price, will buy no sugar from Cuba this year.
Today Premier Castro is making extrava-
gant promises to the Cuban people about
the golden economic future of the island.
On the other hand, Major Guevara, who
fathered the present 5-yeai' industrial devel-
opment plan, tells the people bluntly that
they will have to work harder, produce more,
buy less, and do without many of the things
they formerly enjoyed. He once told them
they did not need to use "so much soap and
deodorant"
Major Guevara concedes that production in
the factories, with their American-made
equipment, has declined because of a lack of
raw materials and spare parts. He speaks
encouragingly of the factories that are being
sent to Cuba by the Communist countries,
but he warns that it will take several years
to make Cuba an industrial nation.
Meanwhile, the majority of Cubans are
regarding with growing dissatisfaction and
anger the sacrifices being demanded, the
scarcities of products, and the harsh repres-
sive measures of Premier Castro's Socialist
state.
[From the New York Times, June 16, 1961]
CASTRO GOAL Is To "LIBERATE" LATIN AMERICA
FROM UNITED STATES
(Last of four articles)
(By R. Hart Phillips)
The burning ambition of Fidel Castro has
confronted the United States with an em-
barrassing and dangerous situation in Latin
America.
The Cuban Premier is determined to go
down in history as a 20th-century Simon Bo-
livar who "freed Latin America from Yankee
imperialism."
The Premier crushed the April 17 invasion
by Cuban exiles. In doing so, he tested the
fighting ability of his militia and army. He
also tightened his government's control over
the island's 6,500,000 inhabitants through
mass arrests. Further invasions by Cuban
exiles seem to be out of the question, and
the danger of an internal uprising apparent-
ly has been eliminated, at least for the time
being. What next for Cuba and her am-
bitious young Premier? The road would
seem to be clearly marked.
On May 1 Premier Castro apparently blazed
the way by proclaiming Cuba a "Socialist
state" and once more telling his people that
the Soviet Union and Communist China were
their best friends. Now he is increasing his
efforts to attain leadership of the peoples of
Latin America and to discredit the United
States there.
Hardly had the approximately 1,200 exiles
captured during the invasion been lodged
in prison when the Premier warned that U.S.
Armed Forces would attack Cuba. In talk-
ing of what he calls the threat from the
United States, he has always described Cuba
as a "small, weak, inoffensive country" whose
citizens want to live in peace and maintain
their sovereignty and independence. At the
same time, he has repeatedly boasted about
the tremendous quantity of arms that he
has received from the Communist countries
and has declared that his militia and army
are ready to meet any attack by U.S. Ma-
rines.
Political and economic aggression by the
United States has been defeated, the Premier
declares, because of the friendly and disin-
terested aid from the Communist countries.
He tells his people that the capitalistic
United States will disappear, and holds up
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9862 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -SENATE
the Socialist way of life as the only hope
for world peace and the well-being of the
masses everywhere.
Dr. Castro's opportunity to start on his
chosen career as liberator of Latin America
came in 1959 when he and his guerrilla
fighters overthrew the strongly entrenched
dictatorship of Fulgencto Batista. This made
the revolutionary leader a hero among Latin
Americans, who have traditionally resorted
to revolts to bring about changes of gov-
ernment.
Only a few days after he had been wel-
comed into Havana in January 1959, with
the largest and most enthusiastic demonstra-
tion ever accorded a Cuban hero, Dr. Castro
flew to Venezuela. He returned home with
the cheers of thousands of Venezuelans ring-
ing in his ears.
Since that time Dr. Castro has spent a lot
of energy and millions of dollars the country
could ill afford in his attempt to become the
leader of all Latin-American peoples. Even
at the beginning of his regime most of the
Latin-American Governments did not regard
Premier Castro with any great enthusiasm.
However, the people, especially the students,
workers and peasants, quickly hailed him as
the leader in a fight against Yankee Im-
perialism.
Today the Cuban revolutionary slogan,
"Cuba yes, Yankee no," is heard repeatedly
south of the Rio Grande.
Although Premier Castro expresses confi-
dence that he has the full support of the
peoples of Latin America, he is apparently
not sure about the governments, several of
which he terms "oligarchies in the pay of the
United States."
He fears that these governments, under
United States urging, might decide to break
diplomatic relations with Cuba at a future
meeting of the Organization of American
States.
A DIPLOMATIC MISSION
For this reason he sent his top diplomats,
Foreign Minister Raul Roa and Dr. Carlos
Olivares, Under Secretary of the Foreign
Ministry, to confer with officials in key
Latin-American countries. Both visited
Mexico. Later Dr. Olivares visited Brazil
and Ecuador.
The Cuban Government is counting heav-
ily on these countries to prevent a unani-
mous break of relations with Cuba by mem-
bers of the Organization of American States.
Already the Dominican Republic, Haiti, El
Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua,
and Peru have broken relations with Cuba,
as has the United States.
A unanimous break of diplomatic relations
with Cuba by the Latin-American countries
would shut off the flow of propaganda about
Premier Castro's Socialist revolution into
these nations. Cuba has been exporting this
propaganda since 1959. Recently, according
to reports, the propaganda is being supple-
mented by the regular Communist literature
issued by the Soviet Union. The channels
for distribution have been established
through Cuban diplomatic missions and
through book and magazine stores in the
Latin countries.
For many months various Latin-American
Governments have been complaining that
Cuban diplomatic missions were acting as
agents to spread Dr. Castro's propaganda and
to stir up dissatisfaction among their peo-
ple. Several of these countries have asked
Cuba to recall diplomatic representatives for
this reason.
A PRESIDENT LOSES PATIENCE
The President of one small country is re-
ported to have said that he made no objec-
tion when the Cuban diplomatic represent-
ative in his country talked to university
students, established Castro clubs through-
out the country and distributed Cuban revo-
lution literature. However, the President
said he lost his patience when this repre-
sentative began speaking over the radio twice
a week and, in effect, promoting a Castro
type of revolution.
A break in relations with Cuba by all the
Latin countries would stop the exchange of
delegations of officials, professional people,
students and workers between these nations
and Cuba. Such exchanges are a major fea-
ture of Dr. Castro's campaign.
Undoubtedly, the Soviet Union and Com-
munist China would not regard the isola-
tion of Cuba with pleasure since she is their
first real ideological beachhead in this hemi-
sphere. At the time this correspondent left
Havana, it was said that Cuba was to be the
largest center of Communist propaganda in
the Americas. She will also serve as a center
of espionage and headquarters for agitators
who will attempt to promote nationalistic
revolutions in various Latin American coun-
tries, according to the report. The Cuban
Government press reported that the regime's
national printing shop was going to sign a
contract with the Soviet Union to print Mos-
cow's Spanish-language literature for dis-
tribution to Spanish-speaking peoples,
Premier Castro has built what is probably
the most powerful radio station in Latin
America for use in his propaganda campaign.
It went into operation May 1. Moreover, he
also has the Prensa Latina press agency,
which was established almost 2 years ago.
Both the station and the press agency
carry to every Latin American country the
speeches of the Premier, which are the basis
of his propaganda campaign. The principal
subjects of the broadcasts and pres agency
dispatches are speeches by Cuban officials
and reports on the activities of the Cuban
Government, the benefits granted to the
masses through the revolutionary reforms,
and the expressed support for the regime of
the people of Cuba and other countries.
Other important features of the broadcasts
and dispatches are reports designed to lessen
the U.S. prestige and items praising the
Communist countries.
The Cuban people hold opposing view-
points on the conflict between the United
States and the Cuban Government.
The followers of Premier Castro applaud
his attacks on the United States and his
ridicule of American Government officials.
They believe the Premier has defeated every
"aggression" by the United States and declare
that they are ready to fight the U.S. Marines
any day they land. They are convinced that
the Soviet Union will retaliate with rockets
if the United States attacks Cuba.
Enemies of the Castro regime still hope
for some help from the United States to
destroy the Socialist state, but many are be-
coming disillusioned. They believe "direct
action" is the only way in which Premier
Castro could be deposed, They think Dr.
Castro's fighting forces are poorly trained
and would not be willing to engage in an
all-out fight with American troops. They
express the opinion that the Soviet Union
would not start World War III over the small
island of Cuba.
These Cubans see little hope that Cuba
will be isolated by the rest of Latin America.
They feel that many Latin-American coun-
tries will not be willing to follow this course
because they have serious problems with
Communist and leftist groups at home and
are vulnerable to military coups or revolu-
tions of the Castro type.
Whether the cutting off of all U.S. Imports
from and exports to Cuba would effectively
shake the Castro regime is widely discussed
in Cuba.
Some believe it would have considerable
effect since the Communist countries have so
far failed to provide any sizable amount of
food and other consumer goods to Cuba.
The United States still exports food and
medicine to Cuba and Imports tobacco, fruit,
and some other products. A total embargo
would certainly create greater dissatisfac-
Jude 16
tion in Cuba, even among the peasants, who
so fervently support Premier Castro.
Others feel such an embargo would be
ineffective, because the Government would
be able to buy at least the type of food to
which the peasants are accustomed.
If Washington takes no action against the
Castro regime, both the Premier's friends
and his enemies think he will increase his
propaganda efforts against the United
States. They also believe that with the
help of the Communist countries he will
succeed in making himself the leader of a
"Latin American bloc" hostile to the United
States.
The personality of Premier Castro, which
to all appearances has a mesmeric effect on
many Cubans, is the rock on which the
Cuban Government rests. This is the opin-
ion expressed loudly by his friends and by
some of his enemies.
Some Cubans predict that should the
Premier disappear from the scene, neither
of his chief aides, Maj. Ernesto Guevara,
Minister of Industries, and Maj. Raul Castro,
Armed Forces Minister, who is the younger
brother of the Premier, would be able to hold
the loyalty of the people. These observers
feel that any attempt at forcible rule by
either or both of these officials would result
in bitter fighting that would involve even
the Premier's present supporters.
"The individualistic Cuban people have
been led down the road into communism
by the personality of one man, Fidel Castro,
who may yet achieve his ambition to win
the support of the whole of Latin America
and create active enemies at the U.S. back
door," one thoughtful Cuban said.
OBJECTIVE OF FREEDOM RIDES TO
INCITE VIOLENCE IN THE SOUTH
Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. President, there
has come to my attention a very inter-
esting article published in the Augusta
Chronicle, of Augusta, Ga., which con-
sists of the reproduction of an article
written by Mr. Alexander F. Jones, the
executive editor of the Herald-Ameri-
can, published at Syracuse, N.Y., which
says that the sole objective of freedom
rides is to incite violence in the South.
Mr. President, I ask that the article,
which is one of the very few which has
appeared in publications outside the
South which depicts any understand-
ing whatever of the southern viewpoint,
may be printed in the body of the CON-
GRESSIONAL RECORD.
There being no objection, the article
was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,
as follows:
NEW YORK EDITOR SAYS SOLE OBJECTIVE OF
FREEDOM RIDES Is To INCITE VIOLENCE IN
THE SOUTH
(By Alexander F. Jones)
The propaganda strength of the freedom
riders idea is that it is proceeding on a one-
way street.
The sole objective of the plan is to incite
violence by presenting a spectacle of mixing
races, and particularly racial sexes, in a
region where it was certain to be the equilv-
alent of waving a red flag at a bull.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The points made in this
column have been made in Chronicle edi-
torials on the freedom ride incidents. We
consider it worthwhile to reproduce the
column here, however, because the opinions
are expressed by an editor from outside the
South. We believe his comments reflect the
same objective approach the Chronicle at-
tempted to take in appraising the Alabama
and Mississippi bus incidents.)
Approved For Release 2004/03/11 : CIA-RDP64B00346R000200170010-5