Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-04
z CUBAN DEPUTIES
HIT MACHADO RULE
Protest of Withdrawn Rep
reSentatives Suppressed
in Havana.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
HAVANA, October 3.-Protesting
present conditions in Cuba. which they
declare are due to President Machados
violation of the constitution. % men,
bers OF the Cuban House of Representa-
tivcs have withdrawn from that body
end refused to participate in its ses-
sions. A protest against President
MaChado'S position has been suppressed
in Havana. but its contents have been
partially revealed The protest, in
reviewing present conditions follows:
To the Chamber OF Representatives
We, the Representatives who make
Up the so-called Orthodox Committee
and the independents who have united
with this committee. all belonging to
the National Conservative party, have
considered it necessary to meet again
to deliberate at this time in regard to
the conduct which patriotism demands
that we should follow in view of the
new call for an extraordinary session,
by virtue of the message of the Execu-
tive of the 9th instant, in which en-
phasiS is placed on approval by the
Congress of certain constitutional
reforms.
Illegal Status of Force.
After an exchange of Impressions
this morning. we have unanimously
agreed to persist III our withdrawal
from the Chamber, because the causes
responsible for it still exist and be-
cause we DO not wish to give either the
support Of our presence or Of our CO.
operation in the regular quorum to
constitutional reforms which 1t is
neither prudent nor opportune to dis
cuSs as long as the government main
tains throughout the country the pres
ent illegal status of force which totally
suppreSSes moral peace among our peo-
yoin cilN ci,ri
contest which is the right Of a civilized
democracy.
The state of war decreed remains
in effect; constitutional guarantees
have long since been suspended by
means of an unconstitutional decree.
and those constitutional guarantees
which cannot be suspended are con-
stantly being violated The daily press
is subjected TO a previous censorship so
illegal and so strict that it keeps the
country in a condition of obScurity and
uncertainty with respect to those events
which would be of greatest interest to
1t. and. in general, the fundamental
rights of freedom Of speech. of associa-
ton and of meeting have been sup
pressed by the government In this
connection the chiefs of the military
districts into whose hands the defense
less people and their public liberties
have been delivered, have even gone so
far as to promulgate. on the authority
of a law Of colonial times which is in
compatible with the republic. a decree.
widely applied. which creates the
anachronistic and uncivilized offense
OF speaking Ill Of the government, and
On the basis Of this offense men, women,
and even girls so young as to be almost
children. are kept in prison. The jails
are fllled at the present time with
political prisoners. among whom are
some of the most famous leaders of
the government opposition. who rose
In arms, driven to this extreme form
OF protest by the pressure Of an op-
pressed people, and because the people
could find no other way Of regaining
their public rights: and almost all of
these prisoners have been held incom-
municado. contrary to law. subjected to
military jurisdiction, and despoiled and
deprived OF the fundamental right of
defense. Members of this very Cham
Der of Representatives have been i'm
priscned merely upon suspicion and
later set at liberty by government
orders as arbitrary as their imprison-
nent; And as regards those members
Of this Chamber who were taken
prisoners in the field the precepts Of
the constitution and of the laws were
not obeyed. thus violating the rules of
parliamentary immunity ard thereby
converting the Congress into the prey
power.
AggresSionS Feared.
These facts. which We have here
briefly outlined. and many others of
less signal Importance. but perhaps
more painful from private point of
view, keep the country in profound
state of intimidation. and the people
rightly fear repetition of govern
mental aggresSions against the funda-
mental rights to life and liberty from
which they have suffered so much
There is becoming rooted among the
people conviction that no right is
guaranteed, whereas guarantees should
constitute, and must necessarily consti-
TIE the most essential element of law:
and the people have we'll founded cause
to believe. on the other hand that those
rights which they are periodically per-
mitted to enjoy are not really rights,
but rather marks of capriciouS toler-
ance or favorS conceded by the Gov
eminent.
Under the above mentioned con-
ditionS it is not possible to undertake
any kind of constitutional reforms Mo-
is it possible. until this state OF affairs
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