Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-29
CUBA BIC PROBLEM
TO UNITED STATES.
Unrest Causes Tenseness in
Latin America-lSle and
People Are ''Broke."

By Gable to The Star.
HAVANA, July 29.-What Is tne
matter with Cuba and what should
the limited states do about 1t? Those
questions are being asked by every one
interested In Latin American affairs.
cuba is a problem of more than
casual concern to the United States,
not only because the private invest
Ynents of American capital amount 70
hundreds of millions of dollars, but also
for TIE broader reason that the general
feeling throughout all Latin American
countries for the United States Is by
no means cordial and, therefore, I'M
rest in Cuba causes tenseness IN dip
lomatic relations between the United
States and other Latin American
The slightest error in diplomatic
tactics on the part of the United States
in handling Cuba might well be
bounced upon by other Latin American
nations as an unfriendly act and cause
their passive tolerance of Americans 70
change to active resentment. so that
serious damage to American trade and
international harmony would result.
Starvation, Riots and Murder.
There is no question that Cuba today
is in a more muddled state than at any
time in the islands history, both po-
litically and economically. Its people,
naturally happy and easy,going, are
Sullen and resentful and both its gov
eminent and its peope are bankrupt
with more than rs per cent OF the
population living from hand to mouth
and from 100000 to 100000 persons
actually starving.
There have been riots ard murders.
Armed bands of thugs have been hired
at So a day by some one to roam the
streets. smuggling and killing any one
suspected of unfriendly feelings toward
Gerardo Machado, the islands cratic
President. Men have been tortured,
hanged and shot. Americans have been
killed. with virtually no protest from
United States authorities.
Plotters and Spies IN Havana.
The city of Havana is alive with
secret meetings, secret legions with
hidden arms machine guns, bombs and
Whatnot; there are governmental
blacklists and armies of spies Compel
ing against each other for information
as to what the other side Is planning
to do.
What the United States, as Official
protector of Cuba, shall do about al
this is a complex question requiring
many diplomatic huddles and much
tact. But the answer to the first queS-
tion-what is the matter with Cuba?-
is not complex at all and requires nc
diplomacy at all to discover.
People and state Broke"
The matter is that its people are
"broke." There is no money and nc
business, with little prospect of any
The government is broke" with little
hope of further outside aid without
int Y9i1 coC
loans would mean increased taxes, ane
the taxes are already too high for tn:
people to carry
The combination of these two fac.
tors has led to growing resentment
by the people against President Mach.
ado and his administration; against his
failure to improve the islands schools
his failure to build an adequate water
supply system for the lower section:
of the island; against the torturing anc
killing of political prisoners; agains
oppressive taxes which they cannot
meet; against President Machado's die
tatorial method of running the govern.
ment; against the widespread graft anC
against the United Safes because of h,
2-cent import tax on Cuban sugar
which caused 1,400 900 tons to be car.
ried over this year unsold.
Resentment Turns to Machado.
1t is peculiar thing about the whole
Cuban situation that thus far the
Cuban's resentment is concentrated
against his President. Machado, and
that this resentment is peronal thing
in which is included all the blame for
his present condition.
The economic sid &C the picture is
not considered by t'2e average Cuban
He accepts the abse.,c &c CT money with
a shrug of resignation That, he be-
1ieves, is something not to be helped
But-there are high taxes, poor schools
and much graft. There is something
personal about those items, and the
blame for them he casts at the feet OF
Machado.
(Copyright 1917