Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-24
Loyalty of Police as Well Con-
Sidered DubiouS-PeopIe
Suffer HardShipS.
ECONOMIC PLIGHT HELD
FORCING UPSET IN TIME
Cabinet Members Said to Be I'm
easy About Positions-Treas-
ury Is Key Factor.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

The economic and political discomfort
in Cuba is reported to have reached
such a point that the days of Presi-
dent Gerardo Machado are numbered.
According to the latest reports received
in Washington from Havana, President
Machado can count on support from
the army and the police as long as he
can pay these forces. But the day when
the depleted Cuban treasury can no
longer meet those payments his po-
litical career will be ended.
Some of the senior officers of the
Cuban army are already opposing the
administration, as the trial of the
colonel commanding the Fort ot
CABBAGE has shown. That officer is being
ourt-martialed because, it is claimed,
he had connived with the opposition to
get rid of the Chief Executive by bonn
harding the presidential residence. The
plct was discovered in time and foiled
by President Machado's secret police.
Havana Situation Tense.
The situation is very tense in Havana
and in the interior. In the capital the
students continue the strike they had
the Presidents resignation. This strike
is worrying the authorities considerably
because in most Latin American repub-
lies the big revolutionary movemenH
generally start either at military acad
emies or universities.
The great majority of Cuban intelli-
gentsia is opposed to the President,
whom they accuse of having brought
ruin upon the country by the extrava-
gance of his administration. Most Gu
ban patriots are still puzzled and want
to find out why the Machado admins
tration has spent over $20,000,000 on
the Cuban Capitol; They would also
like to know exactly how much has
been spent on the magnificent but al
most useless 1,000-mile road which con-
meets Pinar Del Rio with Santiago
Nobody seems to know exactly how
much that road costs the Cuban tax
payer at this time of intense economic
depression.
Interior Conditions Worse.
There naturally are still a number
Of adherents of the Machado admins
verely boycotted by the majority of the
population of the capital. So are the
foreign diplomats suspected of support
ing President Machado more than their
role as observers permits.
The situation in the interior is re-
ported to be much worse. Only the
lack Of arms and the presence Of well
armed police forces is said to prevent
the population from -rebelling against
the Machado administration.
The population is virtually starving
On account of the slump in the sugar
industry, sugar factories are working
only about IS days year. Men en-
ployed in the most important industry
in Cuba are paid 81 day. This sum
enables the workmen barely to keep
from starving.
Await Chance to Strike.
The men are leading now most
precarious existence and are awaiting
for the first chance to rise against
President Machado, whom they accuse
of causing their misfortune.
Some of President Machado's cabinet
ministers feel that their position may
soon become very difficult. Minister Of
Publuic. Works c. M. de CeSpedes has
already taken an unlimited leave and
has departed from Cuba on a yacht
for a long cruise. Other less fortunate
members of the Machado cabinet are
still in Havana, keeping an anxious eye
on ship movements in the harbor.
fCODyright. 1907