Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-04

by the Nationalist as great tflumpn'
,.ac actually their GROWING misfortune.
RGenocal lowered above the Nationallsts
in the public eye Their movement
failed to ACQUIRE ACKNOWLEDGMENT &C
ouired their movement. The NatlOhal,
lists were the bitter enders Menocai
was the strategist and the poltlcai
trader.
MenocaI Quits Fight.
When Menocal saw that Machado
eo,,id not be overthrown, he ACCIDENT
eIIv'' met the President when both were
Triving along the public highway. Cour-
teSies were exchanged and the reVolu-
tion collapsed. The Nationalist hao
lost visibility behind Menocal, and Wnen
Menocal retired from the struggle tne
sweep of his arm evidently brushed
away the lesser figures OF the one-tnle
leaders of the lost cause.
Machado. a business man OF the I'M
portant Province Of Santa Clara, ana
Veteran of the Cuban War for lnoe-
pendence, came to the presidency May
30 1925. for a term of four years, as
the standard bearer Of the lloeral
party. The defeated aspirant for the
Liberal nomination was Col. Menc!eId'
former Vice President OF the repuohc.
The defeated candidate in the electlonS
year term.
No one disputes the instant and ire
Ynendous popularity accorded President
Machado during his first four-year term.
He produced what might be called the
dynamic age of Cuba. He found Cuba
fostering with unpublished crime.
Police were afraid of the bandits; lie
and property were safe nowhere IN the
country. Political crimes resulted in fire.
go tNTrA
of iails wholesale, and paralyzing the
courts. Public buildings had fallen into
disrepair, prisons remained the dun
geons of Spanish days, and asyluIns Tor
the insane were unspeakable madhouses.
The highways were ruts and mudholes.
All these conditions were simply the re-
Election of a government paralyzed by
graft.
Cleans Up Country.
Machado attacked the problems with
vigor and executive capacity, which
produced results so marvellous as to
create a frenzy of adulation. He in
Stantly aSsailed Strongholds OF crime
from every angle of approach. Gam
bling devices were wiped out, bandits
exterminated and efficient police and
rural guard appeared as If by magic.
The shattered prestige of the courts was
executive clemency. Business was pro-
tected from a thousand forms OF petty
attacks and blackmail.
Seven thousand government employees
who did nothing but sign the pay roll
were dismissed. Those who remained
were put to work. A customs organtza-
ton as efficient as any in the world
was built up and taxes became as sure
as death.
With honest collection of government
revenue assured, Machado plunged ahead
to the use of those revenues. A great
highway $50 miles long, from end to
end Of the island, appeared as II by
magic. A $4,000, 900 capital added to
the beauty of Havana.
New school buildings dotted Cuba.
The University of Havana was enlarged
and improved. The Department of
Public Works made Havana one of the
partment of Public Health gave the
country what is said to be the lowest
mortality rate Of any nation.
-Four Successful Years.
The President personally financed and
built a modern industrial city for the
training of Cuban youth, and Congress,
in a fit of enthusiasm, gave the city
the Presidents name. Even the De-
Cuba'S prestige abroad was heightened.
Four years of achievement, four years
of prosperity, four years that were a
march OF triumph-the Cuban people
vyeing with each other to acclaim and
pay tribute to Machado.
Then came the fateful day when the
man who had said he would never
stand for reelection accepted nomina-
ton for a Six-year term made possible
l.sv - A1yA f@w.r - L II.
convention and this broken promise
were the beginning of events which
led to the crisis.
Now, apparently, Machado is safely
out of this crisis. One question re-
mains viii the government weather
the worldwide depression, intensified
in Cuba by the acute situation of the
eountry's great crop, sugar?
Cuba's President answers with char
acteristic force and directness. He
slasheS the budget and at the same
time imposes the most drastic tax law
Cuba has ever known.
Gomez New Leader.
During the recent months of unrest
there has come increasing apprecia-
ton Of a figure that may yet occupy
the center of the Cuban stage-Miguel
Mariana Gomez, youthful mayor of
Gomez joined the opposition, but he
refused TO identify himself with the
political ambitions Of those who want
ed to throw the government out in
order 10 get in.
Popular, an able and honest admin
istrator, Gomez based his opposition
solely on the asserted violation of in
dividual rights, and he strongly de-
nounced the governments use of force
IN putting an end TO public dis
turbances.
Every one in Cuba knows the coun-
try is ruled by political machines and
that every President has been elected
by such machine. Gomez has no ma
chine, but he was elected mayor against
the combined opposition of President
Mschado and all the parties. There
are many who believe public approval
will some day sweep Gomez into the
presidency.
Meanwhile the present term Of Presi-
dent Machado has four more years.
Every political sign indicates that Ma
chado Will serve as President all four
Of those years.
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