Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-04
The Crisis in Cuba.


1t is impossible to disguise the grav-
ity Of the political situation in Cuba,
which has just required President Ma
chado and the island congress to sus-
pend the constitution and ordain
martial law for thirty days. The pur-
pose is to insure tranquility, especially
In the metropolitan district of Havana,
during the period Immediately preced-
ing the national elections on Novem-
Der /.
The extraordinary situation thus de-
creed under sanction Of the law was
provoked by recent unrest in Cuba,
similar to that which led to revolution
airy excuses and successes in Bolivia,
Peru and Argentina. More or less
serious armed clashes between police,
soldiery and citizens-the latter de-
scribed as consisting, for the most part.
Of hot-headed neutrality-suspicious. the
ferrnent with which the Cuban popu-
lace is seething. To suppress it before
it boils over is the acknowledged pur-
pose of the radical measures to which
the Havana government has now
fesorted.
AS elsewhere on the face Of this
disturbed planet, economic disorders
are largely responsible for Cuba's woes.
For $50 years sugar has been Cuba's
single crop. The islands prosperity
has risen or fallen. as the price of
sugar was high or low. In 1920 Cuba
exported more than $70O 900 of its
vital product. Then prices began to
decline. In 1922 only $276.OO0,O00.
worth of sugar was exported. The fig.
ure for 1925 was 1888, ZOO. 900. but by
1928 1t had dropped to $199, 100000.
Three years ago, to arrest the steady
slump in sugar prosperity, President
Machado brought about the enactment
of sugar defense act" whereby the
crop was to be curtailed and prices
thus pegged. But the plan failed of its
purpose. Economically. Cuba has drift
ed from bad to worse. The net result
is the present plight to which angry
dissatisfaction with the Machado regime
has added a species of purely political
strife. Sugar is at the root of Cuba's
turmoil, but far more bitter issues
accusations Of reactionary autocracy,
trampled suffrage rights, and govern
mental irregularity in host Of direc-
tions-now color the picture at Havana.
How far tranquility will be insured
under martial law which sliSpends the
constitutional guarantees Of 100000
Havana citizens, including freedom of
the press, free speech, the right of as
sembly, and even the right to vote
that is manifestly precarious thing to
predict. 1t contains the ingredients of
explosion. President Machado evidently
realizes the peril of invoking the drastic
powers now vested in the government.
"Omcial spokesman" contend that they
will be exercised only in case OF "ex-
IRENE emergency"
The interest of the United States In
Cuban developments is profound. The
Platt amendment still clothes us with
power of Intervention, II and when
the island authorities are demonstrably
incapable of preserving law and order
and fulfilling the functions of govern
ment. In 1901, during the early days
OF the second Mckinley administration,
Secretary Of State Elihu Root pro-
mulgated an Interpretation Of the Plat
amendment, then but year or two old.
Mr.. Root set forth that the amend
ment does not contemplate American
'intermeddling' with the purely in
ternal affairs Of Cuba. Only such
American acts as would maintain an
adequate government to protect lives
and property and fulfil American OBJ
legations under the treaty Of Paris,
which ended the Spanish american
War, would be justified under the
Plat declaration. The Root interpre-
tation was communicated TO Mai. Gen.
Leonard Wood ON the eve Of his retire
ment as Governor General of Cuba. Il
has remained American doctrine ever
since.
The State Department allows it to
be understood that the United States
still stands on the Root announcement
But Secretary StimSon points out that
while we have never interviewed to
maintain any Cuban government In
power, each case must be looked upon
as a separate entity. A situation might
arise which would distinguish it from
those which the United States Gov
eminent uses as precedents for It's pres
ent-hcur policy.