The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-20
Received by President


A friend. reading this interview
had said. After that the President
will not see you" But he did and
he was as courtly and as smiling
and as candid as any gentleman
could be- And we fell to talking
and here was a most charming
Cuban talking about the affairs of
his country, with an utter absence
of pomp and circumstance.
Mr. President" l said, there is
a great deal of concern in American
labor ranks and among liberal men
and women, about the dissolution
of the unions in Cuba Would you
be kind enough to tell me about
that?"
There was no embarrassing mo-
ment.' l am sure that if he used
- English he would have said why
YES, you see it was this way" But
OF course he didn't say that. He
said the Spanish equivalent. THE
unions were engaging in activities
against the government" he said
Revolutionary Efforts Charged
DO you mean there were actual
revolutionary efforts?" I asked.
Yes" he said, and the govern
ment could not permit that. They
are all free to come and talk to me,
whatever their beliefs. Why, 1 Just
few days ago received spokesman
of the Anti-Imperialist League"
"A pro-COmmuniSt organization. -
INTERCEPTED
Yes" he said, but I do not be-
lieve political beliefs should bar any
one from talking with me-"
FavOrs Labor Federation
I'VE look to the day when Cuba
will permit the right of free organ
ization of workers and when there
will be a strong Cuban Federation
of Labor which may affiliate with
American labor" 1 said.
why, labor is free to organize
today" the President said. There
is nothing to prevent the organiza-
.tions of unions. 1t is required only
/that those officers who held office
when decree No. was issued shall
not again be elected to office for
two years. They can organize today
with new officers and 1 share the
wish for a strong labor movement
I hope you will carry that message
to the workers of the United
States"
President Mendieta went on to
outline other aims. 4 have been
discussing with some Americans the
matter of bringing certain technical
advisers to us, to help in our new
planning. 1 am sure that under
President Roosevelt there is a new
feeling toward the Cuban people.
Notice that already our imports
have improved. With sterilization
OF sugar and with a revision of the
permanent treaty Cuba will move
ahead rapidly"
Land Program Planned
I'VE are working out a program
for the parceling out of land to our
workers in small holdings and we
shall encourage diversification of
crops, so that W. may move away
from dependence u1Jn Sjpgle crop
I'VE are studying ti.e Il Dor Situa-
ton with a view toward0 en1cting
labor laws and these may include a
law for a minimum wage and one
to create machinery for the settle
ment of strikes
Every expression of the President
was in harmony with sound progress
sive ideals, He spoke with fervor of
creating a condition under which
the Cuban masses should be able to
earn fair wages and live decently,
which but few of them are able to
do today. He spoke of personal free
dom as a great goal There is no
\doubting his sincerity.
Alien HOrdeS Present
He took pains to emphasize that
he did not desire the presidency and
that he purposes to leave it as soon
as it is made possible for him to do
So But there is no successor in
sight and. barring revolution. none
can be elected for some months.
Meanwhile Cuba is overcrowded
with unemployed workers. Within
her borders are many thousands of
JamaicanS and HaitianS, brought in
under Mr. Machado for the sugar
fields, willing to live far below the
normal Cuban standard. Grau had
begun a vast program of transport
ing these aliens back to their own
countries. That has been stopped,
but President Mendieta is sending
home a considerable number of
"agitatorS." largely of Spanish orr
GIN.
So, CubaS problems are enormous.
No clear direction is yet visible.
American advice undoubtedly is DO
tent and it is likewise undoubtedly
not illuminated by any great hui
manitarian or progressive purpose.
A powerful American corporation
representative went into conference
with the President as I went out.
Trees Grow Huge Lemons
Two trees OF the big South Amer
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