The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-27
5000 STUDENTS
CRY DOWN WITH
GRAU, BATISTA!''
Demonstrators Join
With Strikers
Against Terror
BY WALTER RELIs

The illusion spread deliberately by
the bourgeois press Of the U. S. that
the Grau government has its main
support from the students of Cuba
was effectively contradicted today
when nearly 5000 students of Ha-
yana stood in front Of the Presiden-
tial Palace shouting: Down with
Grau, Death to Batista, We Want
the Head of Carlo"
The direct cause OF the demon
Stration was the arrest and deten-
ton yesterday of 80 students, among
them the leader of the Ala Izquierda,
the left students organization, Car
vajal of the Normal School of Ha-
vana. Yesterday these students at
tempted to storm the Normal School
and remove the director Of the school
by force. The director is opposed to
any student participation in the man
agement of the school and is, there
fore, hated by all the students. How
ever, the assault was unsuccessful be-
cause a company of soldiers is sta
toned Just across the street from
the School-all the students were ar
rested Immediately. In the morning
of the same day more than 1000 ST.
dents of the Institute Havana had
demonstrated against the Grau ter
ror.
Fear Pro- Grau Banner
During the demonstration the en-
ployees Of the Henry Clay American
1 tobacco trust hung banner outside
their offices just across the way from
the palace reading: Tobacco work.
ers, support Grau-long live the 80
per cent law" The students an
swerd: Haul it down, haul it down"
1t remained in position. Then as
one the 5000 surged toward the
Henry Clay Building. In haste the
banner was dropped from the fourth
floor and when it reached the wait
| ing students it was ripped to shreds.
Back to the palace they went just
as 80 striking Woolworth girls
rounded the corner with placards:
Down with the imperialiSt Wool
worth, boycott the 10-cent stores,
free the students and worker pris-
oners."
They had come from the 10-cent
store on San Rafael ST., which has
opend its doors with scab labor. The
police had attacked their demonstra-
ton in front of the store. The stu
dents shouted welcome to the 10-cent
girls and joind them in shouting:
Down with the Yankee imperial
lists" Students and workers mingled.
A member of the Ala Izquierda
stood up on the base of one of the
palace pillars and spoke. He pointed
out that when the Grau government
sent soldiers to break the ranks Of
the striking Woolworth girls when
they attempted to picket it was de-
| Tending American imperialism In
Cuba. He spoke also against the fas-
cist labor DEGREES of the present gov
eminent, which provide for govern
ment trade unions similar to those
in Fascist Germany Cheers greeted
his speech and individual shouts
against Yankee imperialism soon be-
came the roar of the entire mass.
"P0rristas, Assassins!"
On the balcony of the palace,
watching the demonstration were
civil and military officials of the
government. The students hurled at
them: 'Porristas," "assassins." A
student painted on one Of the pillars
in large red letters: 1--WE demand lib
erty for all students, workers and SOL
der prisoners-AIE." Gala Izquierda
EStudiantiD. The same student ran
around to the front of the palace and
painted on the wall: Down with the
/ 1afa
ers and students"
Just as he finished, soldiers from
the palace caught hold of him and
attempted to drag him into the pal
ace. His companions ran and noti-
fled the other students. A crowd
rushed around the palace and freed
their conrade as he was being pulled
into the palace. But they went to
the rear Of the palace with their re-
leased companion.
At this point President Crau came
to the front of the balcony with his
| hypocritical grin. He began his
demagogic handshake in the air, but
was stopped cold by angered shouts.
He tried to speak, but the jeering
would not permit this. Then in des-
! peration he waved a sheet which os-
| tensibly was an order for the release
Of the student prisoners. Nov, noww
shouted the students, 1--WE don't be-
lieve your promisesp Grau was COM
PEELED to retreat into his machine
gun-guarded palace. With Grau's
disappearance an armored car ar
rived. It drove directly towards the
student mass attempting to disrupt
the demonstration. However, ranks
were kept solid and the car was
forced to leave amid shouts of kill
ers, asSaSsins."
Free Two Students
After the armored car left several
students brought notice that two
students Of the Institute had been
arrested and taken to the Central
Police Station, only short distance
from the palace. The student and
worker demonstrators ran immedi-
ately to the police station, rushing
past the two unresisting soldier
guards who stood at the corner near
the station. They shouted for the
release of the two students. AS they
reached the front Of the station, the
huge metal doors were bolted. One
OF the arrested students opened a
window and raised a clenched fist
of greeting. The demonstrators
cheered and shouted: Lets break In
and free them" They pressed against
the tremendous doors. However, in
order to avoid further trouble, the
door was opened by the police.
Some students grabbed their two
companions, hoisted them to their