Evening star., 1933-08-08
Machado, Once Idol Of Cubans,
N0u Cursed for Islands ILLS
Many of Presidents Supporters Hold
Economic Troubles to Blame for POliti-
cal Situation No,U Boiling Ouer.
and then comes that lonely man, Ger
,,I@ r..

and then comes that lonely man, Ger
ardo Machado.
Havana is not Cuba. It is a play
ground for the world. There one may
do virtually anything he wishes with
out interference. There are gayety,
pleasure, entertainment, luxury, amuse-
ment, drinks. vice and very little crime.
Havana is a clean city. It's death rate
is perhaps the lowest of any city of its
size in the world. It is a beautiful
city. Its own inhabitants know how
to live. Only the tourists make the
dizzy round Of the night clubs, the
entertainment spots, the bars.
Havana Is filled with beggars. There
were always beggars there But now
they have grown to small armies Of
mendicants, large and small, old and
young, male and female.
And beneath all this froth and front
of Hanava is extreme bitterness.
Told All Ills Economic.
I had been told by Machado's sup
porters that all of Cuba's ills were
economic, that Cuba was caught in the
maelstrom which had the rest of the
world in its grip; that the United States
had demanded sugar of Cuba during
the war and had encouraged the in
crease in output and now imposed
heavy tariff and limited the quota.
I heard stories of sugar cane cutters
who had worked in the fields cutting
cane while they wore silk shirts and
silk underwear. They are begging to
work today for 40 cents a day. In
answer told them of American work.
ers who. during the same period, wore
silk shirts to mills and drove expensive
cars and who are today in bread lines.
1T is all economic" was the pro-
test OF the government men. If the
United States will help us with sugar
the Machado government will become
popular again. 1t is up to the United
States"
And once there was the old argument
Of war. 1T would be better for the
United States to keep all Of Cuba s sugar
market" said one Cuban official. I'm
this market close at hand instead Of
bringing sugar from the Philippines"
Bitterness on Outside.
And SO it went And outside the
Palace gates there Is bitterness About
100000 Of Cuba's 100000 inhabitants
are out of work. Many are near
starvation.
I was careful always to listen to
figures about the United States-her
own 100000 unemployed and bread
lines.
1T is the same here" they said. LAS
soon as times improve the government
will become popular again"
There is something in their claim
Because the Cuban is by nature an easy
going, good-natured fellow. Warm skies
smile on him, food is cheap and he
needs few clothes, and does not worry
about fuel bills and steam heat and the
like
Yet there is so much bitterness in
Cuba that one wonders. They admit
their teachers have gone without pay
for some time; that the veterans have
not been paid. CThey point to the same
situation in the United States) 1T Is
all economic" they insist. They hope
it is so. They hope for the best.
In Cuba there are many factions.
There are, first of all, the three parties,
the Liberals, the Conservatives, and
the Popular. Machado is the repre-
sentative of the Liberal party.
Fought for Cuban Liberty.
They told me of Machado. He
fought for the liberty of Cuba in the
latter part of the 10 years war. He
became a general during the struggle
with Spain when the United States
stepped in and gave Cuba her freedom.
He was a poor, young lawyer But
he had genius for politics And he
attached himself to, a group and he
rose with it. Soon he was the leader
OF the group. In normal times a man
is 'groomed' for the presidency of
Cuba. He is almost assured of the
Office for years before it is his.
There was great national demand
for the poor young lawyer who had
come to be such great power in Cuba
He was. it is safe to say. the most
popular man Cuba had seen in years;
perhaps since the hysteria of her days
Immediately after the war for freedom.
He was elected President by an over
Whelmingly popular vote and by the
greatest electoral vote President had
seen
His every appearance on the street
following his election was the signal
for an ovation. Crowds followed his
car. They shouted his praises. They
shoWered him with gifts.
Would Be Regarded Messiah.
He was elected May 20, 1924. His
term was to end in 1928 Had he quit
then, as he had promised he would
when he ran for Office, he would be
regarded today as the Messiah of Cuba
and there would be a demand for him
to return.
But he stayed The depression came.
Cubas sugar plantations were almost
ruined. They were taken over largely
by foreign banks, most of them United
States banks.
Machado stayed to be called butcher
and a murderer. Grimes we're COM
mitted in the name of his government
Cuba became a land of bombings and
murders.
He stayed to see the formation of the
A. B. c., one of the greatest Of all
secret societies, including leading men,
bers of the legal and medical profes
sions; of the business world and Of
the world of finance.
The A. B. C. is an empire within a
nation and it is almost as powerful as
the nation itself; it is the leading fac
tor in the fight to obtain new Presi-
dent, a new constitution and a new life
for Cuba 1t is the A. B. c. which will
determine the future of the nation.
An Interesting Drama.
1t is one of the most interesting
dramas in the world today; one of the
finest studies of government.
And I was waiting to see the man
who was once the most popular man
in Cuba and who today is one whom
taxi drivers and beggars curse on the
street; whom reputable businessmen
assal and who goes from his farm to
his palace afraid for his life and unable
to fathom the wreckage Of his career
The messenger came. This way,
please he said, and followed him up
the marble stairs and down a corridor
to the Office of the secretary. The first
step had been taken. Gerardo Machado
was waiting.
(Copyright. 1888, by North American News
paper Alliance, Inc)