Evening star., 1960-03-13
By MIKE THOMPSON, JIM COLLIER and BRYc
University Of Miami

OF
Without Cubas young people-including thousands
OF teen-agers still in the islands high schools-Fidel
Castros fiery revolution probably would prove flop.
Without doubt, Cubas youths many just starting
college, hold the key to the whole Castro movement.
Indeed, they going through revolution peculiarly
their
These are our observations after week-long tour
OF the island talking to everyone could In short the
young people have been and CasroS ace in the hole
They backing him to the hilt promising to follow
him almost anywhere he goes even-if necessary-into
communism
How has the big bearded revolutionary pigeon-hoed
the young people, more perhaps than any single group
in the whole Castro cause? He has told them that they
and they alone are Cubas future, that in only few
all the decisions will be theirs In return they are
giving him their physical and spiritual support.
The love affair could only break up, the islands
teenagerS say if their hero tries to lead them back
the sharp rocks Of tyranny To illustrate, they
point to the bloody regime Of Casros predecessor Full
gencio Batista.
I'VE would fight Fidel only if he betrayed the cause
of the revolution says Jose Puento Blanco the youthful
editor of the Havana University student newspaper,
Alma Mater. But so far his thoughts and have
been one"
Blanco like most -agers-principally those who
numbered among the school and university student
leaderS-doeS not talk idly All have proved themselves
decidedly ready and capable Of spearheading revou-
on When the rebeinfested university was closed dur
ing the Batista regime Blanco and his friends Alma
Mater the only underground newspaper in all OF Ha-
vana. 1t always was strong for Castro
- But the Importance of the young peoples power is
what they have DONE but what they doing and
can do.
Students many of them stil in high schools were
raw material for the revolution which put Castro in
power and he has lavished them with favor-something
Batista did Some of Castros ministers in fact
seem hardly old enough to VOTE but they've been given
positions Of authority.
I'VE are not afraid to tell F1de when he is wrong"
says Frank Martell, a teen-age medical student.
No Wonder He Listens
There is little wonder that Castro would take such
advice. .-....,
Young Roando Aguella, who fought alongside Cas-
in the revolution, handpcked by him as Havana
UnverStyS student federation president then voted in
by the students the presidency Of the student body
already had been a powerful position. Jose Antonio
Echeverria youth who killed in 1857 in front Of
the university by Batstas police, proved that.
Even though the people of Cuba against
Batista" explains boy-faced law student, Jose Cas-
tenado "they not for Fidel They were afraid to
oppose Batsa but Echeverra held secret meetings and
got his friends to join him in raids against the police
It until then that Fdels chances started to look
good kids not afraid and they got the grown
ups to go along"
Youthful loyalty to Castro extends even to his
greater Intervention" in university business The stu
dent body, maSSe, fairly rocked and rolled" when
q government official announced recently that Castro
was thinking of taking complete" control Of uni
versity affairs Included would be the curriculum.
Already says the Martell YOUTH "if we do not like
professor kick him out Why shouldn't the students
have this right?"
Some students however, are not blind to Castro's
faults.
But just because come to a rock in the road we