Evening star., 1936-01-09

many OF the forces that hare
shaped events In the island re-
public.
BY STAFF Correspondent. OF The Star.
HAVANA, January 9 fN.A.N.AD.-
'The Marines have landed and the
situation is well In hand"
Such is the inevitable conclusion OF
the prying observer who takes the
trouble to peep behind the scenes in
Cuba and discovers the real reason
for the comparative tranquility that
has replaced the long season of bloody
internal strife and business strangula-
ton.
Actually, Of course. there are no U.
S. Marines In Cuba The good
neighbor" non-imperialistic policy of
the United States State Department
would be reluctant to recognizes 1t
has In the face of bitter criticism for
non-intervention in the past-any cir
cumstance justifying the employment
of armed force in this island republic.
But there are more ways of skinning
a cat than by use Of a bayonet. our
diplomats have discovered, and the
trick Of utilizing the Marines" with
out landing them has proved more ac-
tual than ephemeral.
Back Door Wide Open.
The story of "the Marines in Cuba
simply is the story Of the back door
to Cuba's capitol-a door as wide and
accommodating to foreign diplomats
as the portals to Camp Columbia, the
Havana military citadel of Col. Full
gencio Batista, the ex-army sergeant
who has been the strong man of Cuba
since the historic revolt of the en-
listed mems army September 4. 1888
Cubas capitol is but hop, skip and
jump up the stately prado from the
American Embassy, and Camp Colum-
bia is IL miles distant. But there are
few who will dispute the assertion
that Ambassador Jefferson Caffery
has long since discovered the longest
way 'rounf is not only the shortest,
but the most efficient, route to fulfill
ment of the State Department. policy
in Cuba.
Backing his support of the United
States policy in Cuba. Col Batista has
an army of some $4,000 men. Most of
them learned their soldering under
American trained Cuban officers, now
depoSed. They have been virtually
under marching packs for two years;
they are modernly equipped; most i'm
portant, Batista's followers are happy.
because they are we'll paid and better
paid and quartered than any army in
Cubas history. Batista will be ably
prepared to finish anything any fool
hardy outsider might start, and while
all his methods might not conform to
U. s. Marine Corps procedure, who can
say that, in Cuba at least. they might
not be even more effective?
So. the marines" have landed, In
effect, and the situation, for the pres
ent, is very much as the American
Embassy would have it.
Position of Batista.
"But what Is Batista? Has the man
no political ambitions?" the inquisi-
tives ask. Isn't there always the
chance that this sergeant-colonel may
be upset from within his own ranks?"
Today's strong man of Cuba. you
must remember, has sat soiidly. if not
too serenely, in the drivers seat for
two years. Had he coveted the Presi-
dents chair at any time during the
period he has watched four Presidents
come and go, all that he would need
have done to usurp that chair would
have been to withdraw his palace
guards, swap his uniform for a white
linen business suit and move in.
1t is too soon to venture the belief
Batista has no political ambitions
Most observers are inclined to believe
he has very definite ambitions and
that these hopes are superior to the
occupancy of an uneasy rulers throne
Then, too, Batista isn't doing so poorly
lust now for Col Batista. Three
years ago he was as army clerk, with
a little-exercised fair for crowd-sway-
ing oratory-but with only SER
geant's pay check. Today he occupies
a palatial home at Camp Columbia
and maintains an impressive country
residence on the outskirts of Havana
Possibly the only threat existing to-
day to Batista's success and the Amer
ican policy's enforcing arm in Cuba
is Batista's army council of II lieu
tenant colonels, all non-coms or en-
listed men who won their gold braid
in the September army revolt. The
original plan was to pass the chief
of army honor around among the
colonels, but Batista, to date, has
neglected to step out. Once having
found a man with whom it can trans
act delicate affairs of state, the Amer
ican Embassy doubtless wouldn't well
come a change. For Batista has DEM
onstrated what amounts to an affec-
tion for American policy in Cuba.
(Copyrisht, 1896. by the North American
NewSDaper Alliance. Incl