Evening star., 1933-09-20
Chaos in Cuba.

OOnOlGlOuS III CuDa commune 10 De SO
chaotic and confusing that judgment
as to their ultimate outcome Is we'll
nigh impossible at this juncture and
distance. The most that can be said
Of them Is that they are in q state of
ferment and flux, out of which almost
anything may emerge at any moment.
Civil war In Northwestern Camaguey
Province, with Capt. Blaz Hernandez,
the Cuban Sandino," In revolt at the
head Of his followers against loyal gov
ernment troops, has now broken out,
though at present the affair seems of
purely local importance and ramifica-
tions.
Meantime President Grau San Mar
tin is still enthroned at Havana. Since
early on Tuesday he has had before him
an "ultimatum" from the various po-
litical forces which oppose him de-
manding his retirement.
The President announces that he has
written his resignation and placed it
in the hands of his political followers
with an expression of willingness to
abide by their decision. To this hour
the students Directorate" and the
mutinous army and navy elements con-
trolled by the former sergeant (now
colonel and commander in chief Ba-
tista indicate no readiness to surrender
the power they seized on September 10
and permit President Grau San Mar
tin to be supplanted by either his
predecessor, Senor de Cespedes, or
some other man acceptable to the anti
student-army groups.
How long the resultant impasse can
endure is utterly unpredictable. A safe
guess is that it will last only while the
army remains loyal to the Grau San
Martin regime. It was the army that
overthrew Machado and 1t was the
army's detection which caused the
sudden collapse of De Cespedes. The
moment the sergeants and their ad-
herents desert Grau San Martin, his
doom will be sealed. There are other
factors working toward that end
which may hasten it. Cuban govern
mental finances are in chaotic disarray.
Taxes are not being paid. The treasury
at Havana faces even more desperate
conditions. Business throughout the
island is in state of uncertainty and
unrest that Is paralyzing the islands
economic life. Labor troubles are end
less and growing in bitterness. They
now threaten to take the form Of a
definite Communist movement, with a
march on Havana as the ultimate OBJ
jective. Various excesses in defiance of
the central governments authority are
incessant. American citizens and prop
erty at different provincial points have
been endangered.
The students Directorate" the
principal supporter Of the Grau San
Martin presidency, has gone into per-
manent session to consider the oppo-
sition demands for the formation Of a
truly national" government representa-
tive Of all sectors Of Cuban public
opinion. Certain knowledge that only
a government deserving that description
can hope to merit the recognition of
the United States is factor designed
to spur his hackers to urge President
Grau San Martin to step down and out.
Pending such a decision, it Is plain
that no solution Of the Cuban crisis IS
in sight. Nor can there, in the absence
of it, be any relaxation Of the wise
precautionary measures this country
has taken in Cuban waters for the pur-
pose of meeting any emergency that
may ensue. That, too, Is a situation
doubtless giving the +student Direc-
torate" food for contemplative thought
at this critical hour,