The producers news., 1927-12-30

come to Washington from C1ba IN in
form President Coolidge, Secretary of
State Kellogg and the American n,1h-
hc that Cuba is no longer free Ger
ardo MachadO, the dictator who cane-
eG huhdfeds OF workers and a number
OF noefal EDITORS to be killed during
ms flrst year IN office, is now putting
through a servile congress a series Of
measure that will keep him. in office
for two years beyond the term for
which he was elected. A revolution is
preparing. Cuban patriots. led bv
many of the veterans of the war If
liberation 80 years ago want to know
whether they will have to fight onlv
Machado or must fight the armed
forces of the United tSates.
Coolidge, Kellogg aboard a warship
with the Secretary of the NAVY are
going to sail into Havana harbor on
January Is on a visit to the Cuban
government while Coolidge makes the
opening speech at the Sixth Pan
American Conference. This will be,
in a way the Both anniversary cele-
bration of the sinking of the battle
ship Maine in that harbor. and the
beginning of the movement which led
to the war of the United States to
drive Spanish power from the western
hemisphere. Under these circum-
stances the existence of a tyranny in
Cuba maintained by an army of po-
lice spies is the more depressing to
the old soldiers who fought under Co
mez and Garcia.
American investments in Cuba are
reported at about $1,25O,000,00O. They
include the sugar industry from plan
tations to docks and refineries, the
railroads, numerous banks, stores,
mines and the wholesale fruit export
business. Machado has made himself
the hero of these American interests,
and Of the American embassy in Ha-
vana, by his ruthless crushing of
strikes and his suppression of the
unions of railroad workers and tObac-
co workers. He has used the nation
al lottery, with its thousands of lu.
crative ticket-selling agencies, as a
means of buying thhe membership of
the Cuban congress, and by fluent
promises of reform or by denial of
the ugly facts of his record has still
ed the protest of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor
Under the Cuban constitution, any
change in the laws as to the presiden-
tial term must be submitted to a con
stitutional convention especially chos-
en- BY the voters, and before the mem
bership of this convention is elected
the political groups of the country
must meet and form new organiza-
tions, representing the alignments of
the day. In other words, new poll
tical opinions must be given a chance
to speak through new political par
ty ticket, which may be chosen to re-
wise the constitution. Machado. hav-
ing captured much of the machinery
of the existing Liberal and Conserva-
tive parties, by buying their members
IN Congress is ignoring this law His
congressman will all be chosen to the
constitutional convention, and will
duly approve his constitutional
changes. This is the act of illegality
upon which the new revolution will be
justified to its supporters.
s.
But since 1917, when Woodrow Will
son declared against any recognition
of revolutionary regime in Cuba
the hope of overthrowing a dictator
has been discouraged In that veal
the Gomez revolt against Presiden-
Menocal failed becaused of the atti
tude of the United States. Now ter
years have brought tremendous in
crease In American investments il
Cuba, with consequent fear of revo
lutlons. Machado feels perfectly Sc
cure within the no-recognitior
trenches against his whole country il
revolt
That is why the moral Leadership
of Cuba, including Col. Carlos Men
dieta and former President Va
roma, COsme de la Torriente. Pedro E
BetancOurt, Aurelio Alvarez, Gen
Jose Martin and long list of other
/ who have been high officials in tn,
congress, cabinet or diplomatic corp
of the republic have signed an appea
against Machado's program. They d
not want the Coolidge visit to Havan;
a to be used as a prop to the dictator
A ship. DR.. Parade hopes to get he
: message to Coolidge in time to pre
/ vent his saying anything that will in
f crease the despair and bitterness o
ber Dpon1a