Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18
Continued From Third Page)


were good Sugar, railways, roads and
other activities were looked after with
a new spirit Havana began to assume
the air of a capital OF distinction.
Cuba herself began to look up In the
world Not only was Cuban elected
to the World Court and another chosen
president of the Assembly of the League
of Nations, but Havana became the
center of world attention when the
sixth Pan American Conference met
there in 1928.
Toward the end of that year another
election was due. and 1t came time Tor
Machado to redeem his promise to
retire. What was he to do?
It was generally conceded that
Machado's administration was the best
that Cuba had had since the days OF
Gen Wood The President himself
would naturally not be the last to ac-
cept this view. The history OF Cuban
politics afforded ample room for the
fear that if he stepped out there would
be a prompt reversion to the old ways.
Perhaps it was his duty to hold on in
spite of his pledge.
This was q dangerous argument and
might we'll be O. delusive one. But APP
parently Machado accepted it. Con-
gress had already passed O. resolution
extending his term-and its own as
we'll Such amendments to the con-
stitution must be approved by con-
stitutional convention. A convention
was called and--was 1t by chance or
design?-found itself disposed to go be-
yond Congress in It's effort to preserve
for Cuba the benefits of Machado's rule.
Instead of extending his term for
two years. they provided six-year
term without re-election-but declared
that the reelection limitation should
apply only to Presidents elected under
the amendment Then 1t proceeded to
the resolve that in the then state OF
the country President Machado was
presidential period"
Opponents Charge Tyranny.
Opposition leaders raised q cry Of
holy horrors at these-to them-illegal
proceedings. But Machado, once re-
| solved to retain the presidency, was
| quite as capable of playing the Cuban
| political game as were his opponents.
| The power of the government was used
to Illustrate the efforts of the opposition
| to line up the political parties against
Machado. In fact, those parties were
actually taken into the Machado camp.
| And when he went to the polls 1t was
as the nominee of all three of the
| Cuban parties-and there was no OPP
| posing candidate. Machado was re-
| elected
The President had fought the poll
| ticians on their own ground and with
their own methods. 1t may well be
| argued that in doing so he lowered his
own standards and dragged his ad-
ministrative record in the mire. But
he beat the politicians at their own
game-beat them to q standstill
Moralists may condemn or commend.
| Machado broke his pledged word, he
twisted the constitutional procedure to
his own ends. On the other hand,
his tactics have been wholly in
keeping with the Cuban political ira
dition-with one difference. Heretofore
! such methods have been employed to
keep bad governments in ofnce; this
time they served to prolong the life OF
"the best government Cuba has ever
had"
Is this mere empty boast, or is there
substance behind It? Assuredly, there
is some. Machado points to the devel-
oment of public works. The Central
Highway Is nearing completion. The
new capitol stands in Havana for all to
see. The port has been improved. The
hospitals are making excellent records.
Prisons likewise. Aviation Is rapidly
extending its lines. Graft Is certainly
at new low point. No pardons are
granted. even to those who claim the
Presidents friendship. The courts are
Cuba's government is, in short. func-
tioning with reasonable efficiency and
delivering new measure Of Adrninistra-
tive value.
| In the general improvement there re-
mains one exceedingly sore spot-the
national lottery. The Cuban lottery has
been q source of corruption and graft
for years. The tickets are sold in frac-
tions-100 fractions to number. The
government price Of each fraction Is 20
cent?, but the tickets are sold to the
public at from IS to 20 cents. AS each
bi-weekiy drawing runs to hundreds OF
thousands Of dollars, the right to sell
tickets is obviously profitable privi-
lege. Traditionally, the President OF
Cuba controls the distribution of lottery
tickets. BY the consignment of certain
numbers each week for each drawing,
he has been able to purchase the sup
port Of Senators and Representatives
With the remainder he has retained
control of large source of income,
which he uses for political purposes.
Machado has not cleaned up the lot
terry scandal. He frankly admits in con-
versation that while there are many
things in my administration of which
am proud, the lottery is not one OF
his version Of the use he makes of 1t.
He says that pensions for revolutionary
widows and allowances for orphans were
formerly made by special acts OF Con-
gress, and that there was a good deal
of graft In connection with them. He
has stopped the old practice and uses
the lottery funds to afford help in
worthy cases.
Unexpected testimony to the high
quality of Machado's government once
came from one of the two or three out
standing leaders of the opposition He
was fresh from a long session of the
supreme court, In which he had Sc
cured from that body q decree holding |
hibiting political meetings during the
sugar season. In the flush of victory |
this captain of the anti-Machado forces |
freely admitted that the President had |
at once acQuiesced in the order of the |
court. In response to repeated ques- |
tions, he also conceded great improve
mentS In many departments Of the gov
eminent under the Machado regime.
But" he acclaimed. there is one
thing for which we can never forgive
Machado. BY his unconstitutional
methods he has killed the political life
Of Cubar'
People Express Hope in Future.
Any one familiar with the political
life of Cuba would have been prompted
to murmur reverently a solemn amen"
with further brief prayer that It's soul
might rest in such peace as 1t deserved.
Cuba could well afford to wait several
years for the birth and development OF
new political life. It could hardly be
worse than the one Machado Is alleged