Evening star., 1933-09-21
CRISIS APPROACHES
IN CUBA AS TROOPS
PREPARE FOR FIGHT
Two American Warships
Move Closer to Havana as
Revolt Talk Spreads.
ARMED RADICALS JOIN
EXTRA PALACE GUARDS
Labor Unrest, Food Shortage, Ma
laria Outbreak, Crime Add to
San Martins Troubles.

By the Associated Press.
HAVANA, September 2l.-The United
States destroyer No. 240, with her
Marines and sailors drawn up in for
nation on the deck, and the American
ammunition ship Nitro entered Havana
Harbor today as opposition groups
pressed their demand that the govern
ment OF Provisional President Grau San
Martin resign.
Anti-American sentiment was ex-
pressed in a demonstration by a small
group Of Cubans who assembled before
the home of James Ward Stickney. The
demonstrators shouted Down with the
Americans!" but left peacefully after
a short time.
Prisoners brought in from Camaguey
Province, where Capt. Juan Bias Her
nandez is leading revolt against the
Grau government, reported that the
insurgents totaled 1000 men. Previous
reports have said that there were only
a few hundred in the field with Capt.
Bias.
Students t1n1Sn Reply.
The Camaguey prisoners, who were
placed in Cabana fortress, were headed
by Chief of Police Viera of Moron, and
they totaled 20 policemen and Is
civilians.
Viera told newspaper men that re-
ports to the effect that government
forces had surrounded Capt. Bias were
merely propaganda.
The student directory, the princi-
pal support of the Grau government,
completed its answer to the opposition
demand that the President withdraw.
This answer was to be submitted to
Havana Rotarians, who are acting as
Intermediates between the directory
and the opposition.
Shortly before destroyer No 240
entered the harbor another American
ship of war, destroyer No. 154, sailed
away.
The vessels, which came here to pro-
once established heliographsr cOmmuni-
cation, using lights atop the United
States embassy and aboard the craft.
Cavalry reinforcements, mobile
arsenal on a truck, extra guards, and
machine gun units were hurriedly de-
ployed about the presidential palace as
reports persisted that civilian anti
government forces and soldiers prepared
to fight.
An Army truck brought rifles and
ammunition to headquarters OF A. b. G.
radical society members, who thereupon
went to police headquarters as rein
forcements supporting President Ramon
Grau San Martin.
Climax Seen Near.
Tn the face of these and other prep
arations the executive declared that
everything Is all right; I am staying
right where am"
Reliable sources predicted that a
climax was fast approaching In the
many troubles the President and his
supporters have had.
Since he took the helm September III,
Grau San Martin has found an ever
stiffening line of opposition among nve
of Cuba's most powerful polltlco-reVoIu-
tionary factions.
day we're:
Defiant refusals from nearly all CUBAN
industrialists to let Secretary OF the
Treasury Manuel Despaigne levy taxes.
Threats of disease and famine over
a large area near desolat1on because
of a hurricane September l.
A gloomy outlook for sugar, Cupas S
principal product.
Strikes, labor unrest, violence, olSoroer
and bloodshed: ,.. ..,,oe
increasing lawlessness, which ponce
and soldiers were poWerless 10 nait;
Food shortage in Havana and the
provinces due to strikes, the closing OF
warehouses. destruction Of crops ano
other causes.
A mob shortly before midnight tried
RI loot the home of Jose Emilio ODregon,
Machado's son-in-law. GUARDS hreo
into the crowd. killing two and wound
ing several. Fifty-one were arrested.
Notwithstanding all this the Presldent
went on with routine business at tne
palace, hearing business mems pleas
for tax amnesty and attending various
political conferences. 1t was shortly
before midnight that he emerged from
a conference room to utter his reassur.
ing words. Everything is all rlgnt,
he told newspaper men. i am staying
right where I am"
Prepare for Action.
Within hearing distance, as the Presi-
dent spoke, were innumeraple troops
making all sorts Of preparation 1or IN
slant action in and around the palace.
At the nearby Hotel National. wnere
500 army officers entrenched themselves
two weeks ago when enlisted men re-
belled, soldiers were busy placing ma.
chine guns in top stories OF adJacethe te
buildings and training them on the
Authorities placed dozens Of ousted
AMY officers and civilians in prisons
when reports of impending trouble were
received.
Hard pressed financially, the admin
istration studied several plans for
issuing paper and fiat money;
Secretary of Public Health Carlos
F1nlay called on the Red Cross to help
local sanitation chiefs fight the spread
Of mslaria, and Cienfuegos. Santiago
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