Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-07
BY JOHN v. HORNER
star star Writer

discussion among CuDanS, as
with Americans and other
foreigners, continues to be the
extent Of Communist influence
in the Fidel Castro government.
Most Cubans believe Prime
Minister Castro when he denies
he is communistic. A number
Of other persons are willing to-
give him the benefit Of the
doubt. at least for the time
being.
But clearly the newly hand
picked President Of Cuba, DR..
Osvaldo Dorticos, went over
board In declaring there are no
Communists at all in the
government.
Virtually all impartial observ-
ers here agree none Of the top
echelon surrounding DR.. Castro
as civilian advisers are Reds.
But farther down the line and
in the military there are known
Communists.
Democratic = minded persons
are genuinely disturbed by the
question Of whether the youth
full Prime Minister understands
how the Communist Party oper-
its goal.
Party Organized in 1924
The Communist Party of
Cuba (Partida Socialista Popu-
lar) was organized in 1924. It
has gained strength steadily,
even while operating under
ground during part of the Ba-
tista regime. Its membership is
estimated now at 100000.
Significantly. the party lead
ers have been around q long
time. The same group which
ran the organization years ago
is still in charge. These include
Juan Marinello, president, and
Bias Roca, secretary general.
There are Carlos Rodriguez.
an Intellectual; Lazero Pena,
q labor leader: Nicholas Gull
len. the poet: Anibal Escalante,
former editor of Hoy, the Com
munist newspaper in Havana,
and others.
Batista Used Reds
On the anniversary Of the
Bolshevik Revolution in 1888,
the Cuban Reds called for the
overthrow of Ramon Grau San
Martin as President. This was
achieved by Fulgencio Batista
only q few months after the
Grau administration took Of
fee.
In the early Batista days the
Communists enjoyed the same
kind treatment they get today.
Their support was invited and
accepted by the government
and they helped keep General
iSSimo Batista in office. They
expanded and pressed for ever
increasing power until the
President finally broke with
them and outlawed their party.
Cites Equal Status
Mr.. Castro has said repeat
eddy the Communists are well
come to operate, that they have
a right to the same status as
other political parties and a
right to participate in his DEM
ocratic movement. Some Of his
remarks compare strangely
with a statement by President
Batista m 1888, Immediately
after he held a secret meeting
with Bias Roca.
Gen. Batista said on that
occasion:
THE Communist Party, ac-
cording to its constitution. is
q democratic party which pur-
sues its ends within the frame
work of a capitaliStic regime
ana renounceS violence as a
political means and, conse-
quently, it is entitled to the
same status as that of any
other party in Cuba"
Under Gen. Batista, Juan
Marinella became a cabinet
minister without portfolio. He
was the first Communist in the
history of Latin America to win
appointment to a cabinet.
Reds Ride Bandwagon
There is little doubt the
Communists today are WELD
ing powerful influence in the
fields Of labor. education, the
military, civilian government
agencies and in some private
institutions. They also have
effective outlets in the press,
radio and television.
But they are playing their
game as smartly here as any
where in the world. They know
the time is not ripe for the
ultimate big push; they are
biding their time.
The Communists cannot now
grab the leadership in social
revolution because this was
pre-emptied by the Castro
government. So what are they
doing at the moment?
They are taking advantage
of every opportunity to identi-