Evening star., 1933-09-24
ANARCHY IN CUBA
HELD UNAVOIDABLE
Establishment of First Soviet
State in Western Hemi-
sphere Seen as Goal.
BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER.
Nv Radfo N The Star

BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER.
By Radio to The Star.
HAVANA, September 23.-The chance
that Cuba can save herself from anar-
chy Is now SO remote that 1t may
almost be dismissed.
The prospect that patched up coali-
ton government might find q peaceful
solution to the islands troubles was
relegated to the category of political
dreams by the determination of the
students to put their communistic theo-
ries into practice.
Their ambition Is to make Cuba the
first soviet State of the Western Hemi-
sphere and to spread the doctrine to the
Latin-American nations. Their intel
lectual frenzy is promoting mob
frenzy which may 60 beyond control.
Col. Fulgencio Batistas army is the
only force for order in Cuba at present.
But the bonds Of discipline were broken
when soldiers on guard at the National
Hotel refused to obey the written or
ders Of their chief Of staff The SOL
diers agreed with student pickets that
truckload Of food for the besieged
odncers there must not pass.
Tired Of Long Hours.
Today the soldiers have been stand
ing In line at the cashiers window of
the national treasury, to get in advance
their pay due at the end of the month
They were paid in silver dollars on the
American standard. but next month
the pay may be in the deprecated
paper the Ramon Grau San Martin
government is issuing.
The soldiers say they are getting
tired Of long tours of guard duty and
patrolling in contrast to the easy life
Of the Cuban officers and men in the
old days. Also they are being sent to
chase bands which occupy towns in the
provinces and retreat to the hills in
guerrilla warfare If these bands were
co-ordinated they might form force
which could overthrow the Grau gov
ernment. But it seems that each lead
er is out for himself and each band is
on its own.
Many Cubans who insist that Cuba
can be ruled only by strong man wish
that one would rise and advance into
Havana with 10000 sturdy men.
After hours of talk between the
workers of the wholesale provision
business and their employers, the work.
ers held a meeting of their own. The
workers refused the suggestion Of en-
ployers that Provisional President Grau
San Martin act as arbiter and insisted
on a high wage scale and their right
to complete control Of the hiring sys-
tenn.
Retail Workers Join Strike.
I'VE might go inside and clean out
the employers" said man in the
crowd outside the building where the
meetings were held.
why don't you?" asked a police
man standing by.
With Havana out OF flour, rice and
beans, workers in the retail stores
have joined the strike. so it Is i'm
possible to have food delivered or even
carry it away yourself.
With the communistic spirit rife
among the army and police. there will
be no restraint on hungry people TAX
their lcoting was limited to the houses
Of leading Mach dists after Machado's
overthrow 1t will become universal.
Anti-American Talk Hats
After the city has been given over
to plunder. what force can restore
order? You hear talk that this will be
the part Of the youths of the right
wing of the A B c. They are sure
some Of the mutinous soldiers would
join them in any action. but the mu-
tincus soldiers may begin fighting
among themselves.
With all the soldiers and students
armed with rifles and the A B C's and
the average citizens armed with re-
volvers, the preparation for anarchy
seems perfect.
Anti.American propaganda, even by
the Juvenile Anti-Imperialist League.
has died down to a whisper. Every
Cuban with money in the bank or in
his pocket and who has been through
the fourth reader. except omceholders,
asks when will America intervene?"