Evening star., 1960-03-08

Castro;Herter
Raps Diplomat
BY JOHN v. HORNER
Star Stan Writer


The United States, in it's
most stinging denunciation Of
Fidel Castro to date, has raised
the question Of the Cuban
Prime Minister'S good faith
with respect to desire for bet
ter international relations.
Secretary of State Herter late
yesterday accused Mr.. Castro
of "baSeless, erroneous and
misleading" charges in imply
ing that the United States was
responsible for a munitions
ship explosion in Havana last
Friday.
To give added emphasis to
the official protest, Secretary
Herter summoned Enrique Pat
terson, the Cuban Charge DAT
faires here, to the State De-
partment and administered the
tongue-lashing personally. He
told the visibly shaken diplomat
that a formal note of protest
would follow.
There was no immediate Of
fetal reaction from Havana but
the Associated Press reported
that television commentators
there read Mr.. Herter's re-
marks in mocking tones and
then added the editorial COM
ment that the United States is
an aggressor.
Protests Funeral Speech
Washington's protest was di-
rected at a funeral grafton de-
livered by Prime Minister
Castro at the burial of victims
of the explosion of the French
ship La Coubre. The ship was
unloading ammunition when it
blew up.
At the funeral, Mr.. Castro
declared the blast was caused
deliberately by parties inter-
ested in keeping arms out Of
Cuba and he shouted that Of
If1cials of the United States
Government were among those
parties.
Secretary Herter opened his
remarks to Mr.. Patterson by
reminding him that the State
Department on Saturday issued
a statement saying the Gov
ernment and people of the
United States were shocked
and saddened by the explosion
which resulted in death and
injury to Cuban citizens.
This sympathy" said Mr.
Herter. "was officially conveyed
in the note presented to the
Cuban Foreign Ministry by ouI
, Charge D'Affaires in Havana
Daniel Braddock), who at the
same time volunteered assist.
! ance for the treatment of sur.
/ vivors and offered to be o!
! assistance in any other way
which might be possible"
5 In view of this genuine sym
> pathy and sorrow, said Mr.
s Herter, the United States wa!
: profoundly shocked" wher
Mr.. Castro made his implied
charges at the burial.
The tenor of Prime Minister
CaStro's remarks on this occa.
/ sion was extremely provoca'
Y tive" Mr.. Herter asserted. "anc
5 apparently calculated to trans.
form the understandable sorrow
of the Cuban people into re.
{ sentiment against the United
= States"
l This Government vigorous.
= ly rejects and protests this un.
founded and irresponsible at
titude on the part of Prime
Minister Castro" the Secretary
continued.
This Government considers
that the Prime Minister'S base
less, erroneous and misleading
statements on this occasion
can only contribute further Il
the unhappy deterioration
which has occurred in the re.
/ lationS between our two coun,
/ tries over the past year.
} Inconsistencies Charged
S This Government consider.
also that this attitude is hardl!
2 consistent with the thought
i, expressed in the note of thu
e Cuban government to oul
4 charge d'affaires in Havana OF
February l8 in which it stated
that the government of Cubs
p shares the opinion that nego'
, tiation of the questions pend
/ ing between the government.
should be considered in an ap'
! propriate manner with stric
. observance of international Law
\ and our respective nationa
laws and within the spirit o
traditional friendship between
> the United States and Cuba ant
q of inter-American solidarity
Under the circumstances
= this Government finds itself in
creasingly obliged to question
4 the good faith of your excel
lency's government with re
: spect to the desire for improved
g relations between our coun
= tries"
n |