Evening star., 1933-08-14
ARMY IS INACTIVE
DURING CUBAN RIOT.
Apprehension Grows Lest
More Serious Disorders
Break Out.
BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER,
Veteran War Correspondent.

BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER,
Veteran War Correspondent.
BY Gable to The Star
HAVANA August l4.-Apprehension
is growing here lest the new methods
and surprises Of this revolution in Cuba
may result in yet another and more
serious surprise due to the failure of
the army to exert its authority and
prevent mass emotion from getting out
of hand.
There is a spirit of vengeance and
! "mOpping up" abroad in the land. At
one moment the streets are full of chat
ting groups, strolling about with some
thing of normal holiday aspect. then
suddenly the sound of shots will hurry
them to a neighboring street to applaud
the killing of yet another of Macnados S
hated Porra strong men. an incident
accepted in the same spirit as the kill
ing of a cobra or a man-eating tiger in
an Indian village.
The spectators move about with an
air of good-natured curiosity, on the
lookout for further sensations. viewing
with interest the scenes of recent acts
OF retrlbutlon such as the execution of
prominent Machadistas
Crowds Warned.
The army's policy of waiting for
popular Jubllation to spend itself before
Tightening control appears 10 be tend
ing toward the resumption of orderly
conditions today. the first real working
day since the victory Of the revolu-
tiOniStS
The picket line Of army cavalry
horses and the patrolling cavalry are
quick to warn off crowds at the slight
est sign OF further license and this
seems to assure that there will be no
repetition of the scenes that occurred
at dusk on that day when the soldiers
on guard sto I'd by like mere spectators
While the houses i'll the rich Malecon
residential district. which they were
supposed 10 be guarding, were looted
and burned.
One house, set in beautiful tropical
gardens. was the palatial home Of
Miguel de Cespedes. man who is no
relation of the new President. but who
Is much hated for the methods by
which he accumulated his fortune.
While the soldiers are patrolling the
streets where houses have already been
Wret ked. reports keep coming in relat-
ing further burnlngS and destruction in
the suburbs and other parts of Cuba
Out there members of the new regime
Still fear that the Machadistas are
plotting in hiding
Seek to Save Lives
But no Machadista is sure Of his
friends now. SO many Machadistas are
eager to appear partiSanS OF the new
regime in order to save their skins
The ever increasingly bitter recolltc-
ton of all that was suffered under
Machado'S rule feeds the fame of popu-
lar license. The soldiers if not the
active agents in executions are yet
passive observers: as individuals they
are III sympathy with popular feeling.
There has been comparatively little
drunkenness due to the Cubans
climatic habit OF moderation. Still the
open grog shops and the fraternizing
OF people and soldiers have inevitably
led TO considerable drinking.
President De Cespedes. his house
thronged like that Of an American
President-elect. faces the serious prob
lem Of stopping the strike and prevent
ing the successful mass revolution from
becoming too revolutionary.
Meanwhile Col Sanguiy. in charge
OF the army. has trying task in main
tanning discipline now that the army
has Joined the people .On terms of
brotherhood. The situation is an ex-
traordlnary test Of military morale If
drastic measures were used in dis
dispensing the crowds it might only
bring a new crisis
A. B. {. Cause for Concern.
One new cause for concern may be
found In the attitude of the A. B. C.
the secret society which has fought
Machado for eight years The A. BIC
ltaf l,,t
sists of secular groups All its mem
bers are young, most in their 3Os. some
IN their 2Os and 40s, They are drawn
from the lntelligentSia. Many are law
yerS and all are men of force and de-
termination.
The society has both a radical and
conservative wing. They do not think
Of themselves as FasciStS at all Lately
their voices have been raised demand
ing hearing for their opinions and. as
some OF them are armed. their voices
have sharply commanding note
Just now as l came from the region
to the capital l had an illustration of
the mood of the hour when l saw
group of tropical white shirts and trou-
Sers racing past eager not to miss the
rumored attempt of the A. B. C. Society
members to storm the Jail where the
army had just imprisoned two police
officers whom they believed to be facing
death.
Advocates Fresh Start.
Juan Literas. an able lawyer member
of the A. B. c. Society. said to me as
spokesman for his party that youth
must be served. He added with fire in
his voice that it was time to end the
farce of the old regime and the old con-
stitution which was only form and,
instead of a stop-gap government. there
should be an entirely fresh start with
new order of practical government espe-
cially adapted to Cuba's needs. He de-
clared that there must be no amnesty
for political crimes as in the past; all
such criminals should be punished.
The young officers in the army.
whose promotions are stagnant. are
restless and. it is reported, sympathetic
with the attitude Of the A. B. C.'s So,
in the course of the general ''mopping
up" many rumors full of possible COM
plications are going the rounds. and
they do much to increase the suspense.
Telephones in the American embassy
and the homes of prominent Americans
are ringing constantly. anxious
Machadistas begging protection.
The rights of Americans and their