Evening star., 1933-08-09
Machado Warned to Quit.

Events in Cuba are plunSlng 10
climax Today's developments may be
decisive The issue Of American inter-
vention seems to hang directly in the
balance. dependent Oh the outcome of
the demand by Ambassador Welles that
President Machado forthwith ask the
Cuban Congress for leave Of absence"
as the one means of settling the islands
political problems.
After Ambassador Welles yesterday
submitted to Senor Machado a for
mula" agreed to by the various Cuban
political parties. including the proposal
for his retirement, the President de-
clared that he is and will continue to
be chief executive in the p.cnitude OF
all my constitutional PREF ogatives, Of
which I may not cede the smallest part
without betraying the confidence de-
posted in me by the Cuban people
This defiant pronouncement is thor
oughly characteristic of the old Span
ish-American war horse, who when
elected President of Cuba in 1924 took
Office by the most overwhelming vote
of popular confidence in the republics
history. He forthwith became the coun-
try's idol. Elected for term that was
to end in 1928, had Machado left office
then. as he promised to do when he
ran, he would probably be regarded to-
day as Cuba's Messiah. But Machado
stayed. The depression followed. Cubas
sugar industry collapsed. A quarter of
the country's four million inhabitants
was condemned to destitution. Mean
time, Machado's rule, threatened by the
revolutionary forces of misery and dis
content became marked by increasing
tyranny. The onc-time national idol
was presently known as butcher" and
murderer" Crimes were freely COM
mitted in his governments name
Political persecution grew in terroristlc
intensity Machados "Porra,' strong
arm squad, turned the island into
realm of gang warfare. The ruthless
brutality of the Machado system of
suppressing opposition and discomfort
was exemplified in Monday nights
bloody affair before the presidential
palace at Havana. when by Machado's
orders police and troops moved down
inoffensive demonstrators with rifle and
machine-gun fire.
There can be small doubt that it was
this exhibition of Machado tactics that
hastened the decision of the Cuban
political parties to direct the American
Ambassador to ask in their name for
Machado's retirement as the all-eSSen-
tial requirement for restoration OF
stable conditions.
Gen. Machado, seasoned politician
that he is, cannot fail to realize the
futility of standing out against both
the power of the United States and the
undeniable hostility of the Cuban
people. The formula" which the
President is asked to accept calls upon
him to name a secretary Of state ac-
ceptable to all political factions. The
Cuban constitution provides for the
secretary Of states succession to the
presidency in the event the office be-
comes vacant Thereafter, Machado
is required to ask Congress for an in
definite leave of absence. That granted,
the secretary of state having succeeded
to the presidency, would appoint ma
tional cabinet representative of all po-
litical factions. Thereafter the consti-
tutional and electoral reforms worked
out by the three political parties. i'll
Guiding restoration of the vice presi-
dency, abolished in 1928, would be sub
mitted to Congress for adoption, and
eventually placed before constitutional:
convention for ratification, with a
presidential election to follow in due
course.
Talk Of United States intervention
ultimatum as the alternative to the ac-
ceptance of this program by Machado
is apparently premature, but it is pal
pable that stern action of some sort
is not only imminent, but will speedily
become inevitable. For innumerable
reasons America would invoke extremes
with utmost reluctance, but it may be
the only way