The Washington times., 1936-12-24
SENATE VOTES
T00UST CHIEF
BY Z TO z
Expelled Official Flags
'Strong-Arm' Tactics
Used by Enemies
BY RICHARD ARMSTRONG


HAVANA, Dec. "a GN.S0 DIR.
Federico Laredo Bru, who automa-
tically became president of Cuba
before dawn this morning when
the senate wrote guilty" on the
impeachment of President Miguel
Mariana Gomez, will be sworn in
today at noon as the army guns of
strong man" Col. Fulgencio Ba-
tista boom a 21-round salute.
BatiSta's crushing victory, as
the gun-carrying senators voted,
% to IL. to remove Gomez became
final when senate president, Ar
turo Illas, his pistol holStered,
headed a committee to notify
Gomez he was impeached and to
tell Laredo Bru he had become
president.
Fighting to the end, Gomez
hurled a final blast at the enemy
dictator in a strong statement de-
nouncing militarism and charging
army control of the schools seri-
ously menaces Cuban democracy.
Likened to Rome
He likened the present situation
to the era of the Roman dictator
ship" saying:
eff we are living in that era,
then let us abandon fiction. Let
those who think the public vel
fare lies in that direction try it,
and let us have no more hypO-
critical elections"
Gomez defended his attitude in
vetoing the army-inSpired sugar
tax bill, cause of the crisis, and
added his obligations to the public
had made it impossible for him to
resign.
He sardonically concluded the
message by wishing Cuba a merry
Christmas.
Gomez was removed on charges
that he coerced Congress in an at
tempt to stop passage OF the sugar
tax bill, designed to support army
controlled schools.
His vice president, DR.. Laredo
Bru, now president, is expected to
give Colonel BatiSta free hand
in conducting the army's educa-
tional scheme. President Laredo
Blu is the ninth president since
Batista-then army sergeant
engineered the downfall of Ma
chado four years ago. Gomez was
the first conStitutionally-elected
president in that time, and he re-
manned in office exactly seven
months and three days.
The nights swift proceedings
were attended by no disorders, but
defenders of Gomez, who riSked
Batistia'S vengeance, were cheered
by the Senate gallery.
There were more cheers for Co
mez when, certain that the senate
vote would be adverse, he left the
presidential palace for his home
in the Prado shortly before mid
night. Courageously defying Ba-
tista, he denied reports that he
would flee to America.
Can Return to Politics
The Senate, as it might have,
did not bar Gomez from further
participation in political life or
office holding.
In some quarters the impeach-
ment trial was called irregular"
since no documentary evidence of
Gomez alleged coercion was pre-
sented and no witnesses called.
The only speakers we're counsel
for the house of representatives,
which impeached Gomez, and his
own counsel. Gomez confined
himself to a word of protest to
the senate, charging the impeach-
ment was:
"A mere political act to i'm
peach the President because of
orders and pressure from q
source known to ALL"
His chief defender, Jose M.
Gutierrez, said:
"The senate must decide
whether Cuba has a democracy
or a dictatorship President
Roosevelt announced he would
veto the bonus before the mat
ter reached Congress, but was