Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-15
SPOTLESS HAVANA
CREETS DELEGATES
Citizens Decorate Homes and
Freshen Gardens on Eve
OF Conference.
ny Cyril. ARTHUR PLAYER.


the child Of two worlds-pupil of b"th
turned its face today toNaru inc
Western Hemisphere. ready for one
Of the supreme moments IN IT'S eNeh',
|,,l history The sixth International
Conference ~ American States. winch
opens in this city Monday. repre-,
aen,s for Cuba the world maj ac' Oh
recognition.
Havana, already watching, STANDS
on tip;oe more than ready ',N
IL spotless. lis windows Sleam ne
hind awnings. bright and new. us
gardens are fresh and gay with color.
lis streets and sidewalks are a nafade
of brilliantly pIumased humanity.
The sun rides high and turns ms
civ into a level of gold. whose sell
ting is the deep blue sea. across
which hlazes the silver road 10 the
continent
RattIeship Is Due.
Somewhere out on that matchlrss
~s,er steans a hattleship bearing
the President Of the United states
end an UNPARALLELED retinue. Within
a few hours the brave old forts or
MORO and Punta. which guard the
channel. will yield noisy honors TO
Cuhs friends
On Norrrn flies the single starred
nsc nf Cuba and here within its
sight is the cradle Of the New World.
Ghosts watch the coming Of the great
chosen representatives from y Amer
lean States.
Ghosts OF old Christopher, who first
landed here with his son Diego, or
Cortea OF the keen eyes snd large
hands, Of Ponce de Leon, who died
here: of Ferna ndo de Soto. who sailed
out Of this channel TO seek fame and
discover death: of his wife. Donna
Isabel, who watched on these ram
ports, watching ever for that ship
that came not hack; of Pamphilo de
Narvarez. and OF tough old Drake.
twice sailing wistfully across the
mouth of the harbor, his guns ready
but unused.
Ghosts, too. of our own time-of
Leonard Wood, OF Gorsas, of Walter
Reed, whose genius first blossomed
here. and of Crittenden, who threw
himself into the Cuban cause and died
against a yellow wall where the bullet
marks srimly commemorate the Span
ish firing squad.
History Marshais Heroes.
History has msrshalled her heroes
Of the New World TO witness the full
fllment OF its dreams. A thriving.
busy harbor. prosperous people.
lovely ,city-all contiguous 10 an EN-
pire OF such wealth and power and
resources that even the most optimistic
Of ghosts scarcely can have imagined
it
II ever there was a place 10 conjure
good viii. this in il. and any sound
dream which refuses Ia rea lie itself
in this golden spot is simply a worth
less nightmare. Dreams will be in
order Monday Mt the Naccional The
alter, the fifth largest theater in the
world-the place where lavish Cubans
have poured out fortunes for the
worlds grea test artists.
Wholly Spanish. this grand old
building is columned and carved. One
OF the beautiful ladies who adorns it
looks straight into the room where /
am writing this and is so few Feet
away that / ran perceive where the
weather has Clipped the nail Of one Of
Ter lovely toes She is Of stone
sustege hut sha pely.
City In Holiday Mood.
Havana has assumed a holiday
mood. Curious crowds greet all boats.
which are heavily laden. ANY well
dressed man who looks grave and i'm
portani Is saluted by the police. in.
Guiding the traffic officers, for OBJ
viousiy he In or, may be or should be
sornebody Of Importance.
The city in bsthed In an air Of
gentle courtesy. When even SO I'M
distinguished visitor az this writer
drove up in car 20 old that even
henry Ford would be ashamed OF II.
-FOUR policemen. including a sergeant.
elosd the driver 10 drive over the
eo"catcher OF street car, across the
front legs of horses and on the wrong
side Of traf7c.
Hundreds Of laborers are lsborIng
night and day 10 complete the recon.
struction work in the great plaza and
park which stretches from the presi
Genital palace To the sea wall This
place, which il TO be President Cool.
'ages home during his visit here, Is
new and spotless
Havana citizens are literally re-
moving every pebble and uDeyenne.a
from thoroughfaTes. The WORK in.
Guides grading. much new concrete
snd extensive paving, I'm the center
o, which are large marble sls bs. piles
OF winch still wait 10 be placed in
position. Sidewalks are crowded With
posts Tor fences TO restrain aptici.
psted crowds.
Gardens Fresiiened.
The gardens snc4rcHpg the raisce
nae been fresbensd with green turf
and scarlet and yellow flowers. The
n1gs building, occupying large
ci.ck, viii he encifcied with great
fehectIng lights. throwing the srchi
TEXTURE into vivid relief
livery one speaks and waits the al.
vert Of President Coolidge ~ nd his ret.
inos The Presi6ent'g features are
IN almost every window. Cuba ne talk
81 lhtie else end 10 potent In the spell
cf u al that they wish the conference
VI Ne me gfestest ever held, with oil
M nper " bold things credited 10 it.
~ that. the coming weeks Will tel.
snsB the America mr. form what
amounts 10 League of Nations. non
political and based solely on common
sfc@pisncs VI code u intsFns iionsi
law?
Never before in The history Of ciyiI.
izstkn has 20 slanif1cs nj project
been br1scbsf. Shall the Amtri.;s ns
sxFee 10 regulate the ttaff1c Of the
sklesg
Then there are au@sti1ns u inter.
naflosss s0'Dtnobiie train and rsij.
way B1"F@menfs Vast snd sIntai i,us
pFoNeis for inielieetusI coof,etati1n
tSNkssl impotfs nj eronornlc pfoposals
for fh@ 'J,ftnon benefit s.d BY no
sasshs 'h% least, group 81 so"lsi
pfoEll<tns for consideration. In fact
there u siaiss have known each Other
o org time.
RFssi1en' Ccoiidgs will lay The
khost ~ imperial sm by his presence
shsn these Rco1 friends Will begin 10