Evening star., 1933-09-10

into exile, Carleton BealS' book appears
denouncing the Machado regime and an
the other Presidents since Cuba's free
dom from Spain. except perhaps that
of Estrada Palma, first president. MIR.
Beals questions whether Cuba gained much in
the long run by the Spanish American War.
Spain was an oppressor and the Cubans fought
lcng and with much bloodshed for their free
q nj. The United States gave them freedom,
undsr the Platt amendment which enables
tl.e United States to intervene in Cuban af-
f, lrs for almost any reason and permits strict
c. nSoIship of Cuba's foreign and financial
T icles. To be sure, the Cubans were quite
free to choose the amendment American
military rule" The items of Mr. Beals' indict-
ment are set forth in his foreword and do not
stop with the Platt amendment. He charges the
United States with maintaining in power des-
p2tic Cuban governments and with at least
allowing the exploitation of Cuba by American
iilancerS. For the Machado government he
reserves his bittereSt denunciation, and criti-
c!zes United States approval, through our Am
bass ador of elections proven illegal and of
naneuVering ito reconcile the opposition to
AIachado,' as well as the distribution of secret
propaganda to malign the more honorable sec
Congress is morally obligated to investigate the
relations of those interests cthe same interests
now diScredited in America) to the Machado
government and the past activities of
Eassy during the Machado regime, and to
formulate a program which will permit the
CIban people to recover their sovereignty and
to establish government Of law and order"
Carleton BealS knows Cuba He has spent
much time there and in Mexico and Central
America during the past Is years He is fear
lcsa in expressing his opinion and hates corrup-
ton and oppression As . journalist he writes
with vigor and huency. He has sometimes
b compared to Richard Harding Davis. 1t
must be recognized, however that in discussing
Cuba. as in discussing Germany or Russia, or
fer that matter almost any country in the
world, there is q chance for varying opinion
A'so throughout the book there are charges Of
schening and self-interest on the part of
c )yernment in connection with Cuba which
could easily be reduced to errors Of judgment
b,underings such as any government is all too
likely to make.
The history of Cuba since 1892 is given in
brief calendar form. The first entry ends with
the sentence: After various goddess expedi-
tons. Columbus planted a cross on the Nuevitas
hills and sailed away" The entry for 1898 re-
ports a conversation between Mr.. Beas and a
Cuban mathematician, now. in 1888. forced to
earn his living as baker irregularly employed
IA American War meant to Cuba Then came
america You said, to free us All
GU did snatch victory from our grasp"
Into this calendar and the other sections of
tie first part of his book which he calls Pat
term Mr. Beals introduces many impression
;,aic sketches of Cuban life, both in black
Cuba" and white Cuba,' for he says, the
la jor tones of Cuba are black and white"
7 here is the JOY of the Cuban returning from
)r )ad when he first sees Ell MORO Cas- tie
= n re is the "Smoldering volcano Of life which
--aIavana There are the walls of street singers
n the hot nights and the beat Of the Kongo
d.unl3 in the jungle. There is Fela, the
oct broom. sitting in her n-shuttered roOm
clicking her wine-god fan There the
uoper-class white Creoes of Cuba. with their
:3a:t of rich velvets and silver buckles. There
re the intelligent, educated Cuban women, who
do not hesitate to step from traditional into
public roles when there is patriotic call, We
a.c given a swiftly moving drama of all Cuba in
these opening chapters.
Mr. Beals does not consider the work CT
american lndustrialsts bankers and promoters
il Cuba such that the CubanS should be eter-
Ially grateful He does not, either, hesitate 10
Use names. Guggenhem and the Anaconda
Copper and American Smelling & Refining
companie3. Charles Mitchell and the National
City Co. and American & Foreign Power Co,
the International Telephone &, Telegraph Co,
are mentioned apropos of luscious Cuban
CONCESSIONS" American financierS. he says, hold
the destiny of Cuba in their hands. Machado's
government has been ineXtricaby tied up with
American banking and public utility interests
Credits to Cuba have almost wrecked Cuba.
The State Department under Stimson ratified
leans to Cuba during the Machado admnistra-
ton which were secured by special taxation not
included in the ordinary revenues. One such
loan involved the payment of s500,000 to the
Son-in-laW of MachadO manager of the
Havana branch of the New York house making
the loan One of the most real benefits
bestowed upon Cuba by the United States has
been generally acknowledged to be its i'm
proved sanitary conditions, the work of Ameri
Tba Ioft