Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-14
Cuban Court Rejects
Grau Petition for
Vote Suspensions
General Elections 1oduy;
BoIIotine Barred in
Four Small Areas
~ the Associated Press.

D, the Associated Press.
HAVANA, July 13.-After hearing
itself accused of Partially. Cuba's
Supreme Electoral Court tonight re-
jected q petition by followers of
DR.. Ramon Grau San Martin, presi-
dental candidate In tomorrow's
general elections, for suspension of
the balloting in two entire provinces
and parts of two others.
The accusation of Partially was
made by Marcelino Dorado, Com
munist party lawyer and member
of the coalition backing Cuba S
'strong man" presidential candidate,
Col. Fulgencio Batista. He charged
the court with favoring Grau In its
decisions.
Instead of suspending the cleo
tions in all of Camaguey and Ma
tanzas Provinces and in certain Sec
tions of Havana and Pinar del Rio
Provinces as asked by the Grau
forces, the court decided to suspend
the voting in three small areas OF
Matanzas Province and one Of Pinar
del Rio as a measure to avoid
strife. These areas were said to be
unimportant.
The possibility of serious trouble
appeared as the partisans Of Col.
Batista opposed the demands Of his
chief rival that the voting be sus-
pended in such large sections.
Fear Coup D'Etat.
A feeling was reported in many
quarters that if more suspensions
were granted, Col Batista, backed
by the army, would seize control of
the government in a coup d'etat
on the grounds that only thus could
grave disorders be prevented.
Cuba's election code authorizes
the Supreme Electoral Court to
suspend elections If 1t believes or
derby voting cannot be held or that
unnecessary or violent pressure is
being put on voters by armed forces,
or in cases where constitutional
guarantees are suspended.
This court was in permanent ses-
sion tonight and it was understood
that Batista leaders went before it
to warn that no more suspension OF
voting would be tolerated.
President FREDERICK Laredo Bru
in a statement offered guarantees
that voters would have complete
freedom at the polls. Laredo Bru,
a Batistaman, is President now. He
cannot succeed himself.
Grau Is Nationalist.
Grau's policy has been Cuba for
the Cubans." Col. Batista, an in
ternationalist, has pledged cooper
alton with Uncle Sam.
The result of the balloting is of
interest to the United States because
of Cuba's strategic value in protec-
ton of the Panama Canal and re-
ports that the United States hopes
to see it fortified for that purpose.
The United States Navy has its
Caribbean base here.
Two million Cubans are qualified
to vote in the election, which will
fill almost every political ONCE on
the island. There is third candi-
date for the Observation-Disclosures
Marquee Camacho-but he appears
to have little chance. 4e.Asfo.
During Grau San Martins presi-
dental regime in 1888. his govern
ment almost was overthrown by
violent Rightist revolution, headed
by the ABC secret society. Today
Grau is the candidate of the same
ABC. Col. Batista, who could not
tolerate Leftism in 1888, is the 1910
candidate of the Communist party.
Col. Batista heads the ticket of
seven parties: Two of the Left, two
of the Right and three of the Gen.
ter. Grau San Martin heads three
parties-two of the Right and one OF
the Left.