Evening star., 1952-03-10


Botisto Is Ex-Borber Who Rose to ll-YeoI
Cubo Dictatorship. Poee Al
under arrest, left the Presidential
Palace after announcing that
BatiSta had seized control of
Camp Columbia, the army's major
military base.
Batista told a reporter:
II was obliged to make revo-
luton because I had news from
the most reliable sources that
President Prio, faced with defeat
of his candidate in the June l
elections, was planning a phony
revolution for April 15.''
Soldiers Take Over Palace.
Two army tanks and army
trucks loaded with soldiers took
over the presidential palace in
the center of Havana. Nearby
residents said they saw white flags
appear in the palace windows as
the troops arrived.
A Batista supporter, 1t. Rafael
Salas, took over police headquar-
tiers. He announced II am a colo
mel now" and chief of police. Or
derS went out to seize some gov
ernment automobiles.
Batista, as a Cuban strong
man." controlled Cuba for 10
years, between 1888 and 1943. He
was a declared presidential can
didate in the elections scheduled
for June.
The announced purpose Of the
revolt was to suppress corruption|
and gangSteriSm, which has been
blamed for 80 killings since Presi-
dent Prio took Office in 1948. Last
August a. Senator committed sui
eide to awaken Cuba against cor
ruption in government" SalaS
said Cubans were weary OF gang
sterism and corruption and army
forces friendly to Batista had
asked him to- take over.
Complete Surprise.
Comparatively little violence
marked Batista's bid for power,
which came as a complete sur
prise. Two palace guards were
slain by submachinegun fire from
q speeding police automobile.
Prio drove away from the palace
followed by a busload Of soldiers
and later two tanks appeared be-
fore the building.
Appearing sad and under great
strain, Prio said upon his depar-
ture: 1--WE will resist if the people
of Cuba support me and the con-
Stituted government" This indi-
Gated Prio had little hope of saving
the day. He said he was going to
Camp Columbia, but reporters at
the military post did not report
his appearance there.
Batista, 81, an army sergeant
who led a revolt from Camp Co
lumbia in 1888, was at that mill
tary installation, headquarters OF
the Cuban army general staff.
Havana was quiet except for
sporadic shooting. Radio stations
were forbidden for broadcast
news, presumably upon instruc-
ton from the police. The Ha-
vana clearing house suspended
operations. The police took over
the Cuban telephone building,
but permitted local and long-dis-
tance calls. Gable companies re-
ported no censorship. The United
States State Department ordered
the 7th Coast Guard District to
divert all boats and aircraft
bound for Havana.
Fiery Election Campaign.
Cuba's election campaign had
been working up to a fiery climax,
with Batista the candidate for
the United Action Party. He
campaigned on an anti-adminis-
tration platform, as did Roberto
Agramonte, leader of the ortho-
dox Peoples Party. Agramonte
had charged Batista with being a
"phony opposition candidate" who
had made q deal with Prio to
take away votes from the Peoples
Party.
With Prio ineligible for re-elec-
ton, his Authentic Revolutionary
Party had nominated Carlos
Hevia, a former Secretary of
State, for President. Agramonte
had been conceded a fair chance
of defeating Hevia. Agramonte's
predecessor as presidential candi-
date, Eduardo Chibas, committed
suicide in August Ito warn the
people of Cuba against widespread
corruption in government.
Havana is normally one of the
noisiest places in the world. To-
day traffic was curtailed, although
there were no restrictions. AT
times police searched automobiles
crossing two bridges over Almen-
(See CUBA, Page A-3.)