Evening star., 1933-08-09
BY RALPH McGILL.

HAVANA. Cuba (By AirmaiD One
enters the palace of President Machado
through steel-barred gates, which are
we'll guarded. After a week of waiting,
after seeing the United States Ambas-
sador, Sumner Welles after talking
with university students who had been
imprisoned because of their opposition
to the government; after talking with
officials of the secret society, A. B. c.,
I was at last to see Machado, that
lonely and embittered man, who is head
of the Cuban government.
Martinez Ybor, one of the staff and
a man who has served four Presidents,
met me inside the steel gates We went
up a flight of marble stairs. There was
a guard. At the top another guard
saluted
We turned down a corridor to the
Office of the secretary. It was quiet In
that corridor. Rugs muf1ed our foot
falls. 1t probably was imagination, but
one felt that unseen eyes were watch
ing
Much Hatred in Cuba.
There is much hatred in Cuba. There
has been assassination, much throwing
of bombs. There are those who would
take the life of President Machado.
In the secretarys office there was
delightful gentleman, DR.. Ramon
Guerra, historian, scholar, teacher and
private and confidential secretary to
President Machado.
It is a quiet, still room. We sat and
talked. They asked me what I had
heard. 1 told them that I was sure
much of the reports from Havana had
been exaggerated. They undoubtedly
had. There have been reports OF
revolutionary armies on the outskirts
of the city; of thousands of men under
arms in the outlying districts. These
were all false There have been few
hundred men under arms, mostly
guerillas who come out of the noun
tains and harass the government
soldiers.
Dr.. Guerra nodded. He is brilliant
man, a great student of history and
economics. He knows and the govern
ment knows that public opinion IS
largely hostile to the Machado govern
ment.
He assured me that Machado had
not done all the evil things attributed
to him. He seemed most curious about
outside opinion, about opinion In the
United States.
Troubles All Economic.
"Our troubles are all economic" he
said. I'VE must sell more sugar. The
United States must give us larger
quota. If things improve, the opposi-
ton will die out.
president Machado is undergoing the
same sort of abuse that President
Hoover did Mr.. Hoover is good man.
He was victim of worldwide crisis
he could not control"
We talked on. The heavy walls OF
the palace kept out all outside noise.
The clock above our heads licked on.
It was past time for the interview. But
in a moment the door opened, soldier
motioned. And We arose.
was on my way to see the man who
is perhaps the most difficult man in
the world to see today-Gerardo
Machado An elevator took us up. A
guard motioned us in.
The room was dinly lit. There were
no windows open to the street.
A large man, clad in q dark suit,
! arose as we entered. He shook hands.
His face is pleasant, though bit heavy.
His forehead is high. His eyes are
deeply set.
Regrets the Situation.
They are pleasant, though. He wears
| horn trimmed glasses. His large shoul-
ders are somewhat stopped.
| was introduced. We sat down. The
President said he regretted the situa-
| tion his country was in.
Il am q patriot" be said. II love