Evening star., 1961-06-13
u. S. and Cuba

~ ~ 0GhO S0O0
It Is remarkable that so
many Americans have fallen
for the Tractors for Free
dom" subterfuge Of the Com
munists. The people of
Western Europe and the free
world generally are surprised
If not somewhat frightened
to see the mighty United
States stand by, all but pas
sively, as a Communist state
Is established within splitting
distance of our shores. They
are astonished as we take
no move In defense or re-
priSal while the Cuban Com
munists loudly decry us and
all that we are supposed to
stand for, defame our leaders
and people, and confiscate
our property. A great num-
ber Of Americans are equally
surprised, frightened, and as
tonished at these events.
And now we are supposed
to pay $40 million in tractors
in blackmail to our dedicated
and ruthless enemies, a rack
eteer'S payoff supported by
all too many prominent
United States citizens. What
next? How many Cuban
prisoners under death SEN
tence will some Americans
and our President accept in
return for a squadron of B-58
bombers? After all, Castro
will need some aircraft be-
sides Russian and Czech
planes to land on the run
ways built by the 500 tractors.
And how many prisoners for
Guantanamo? There Is no
difference.
Many of us who can see
beyond the end Of our noses
recall that Chamberlain
traded the Sudetenland in
return for Hitler's promise,
in effect, not to kill any
British or French. Yet it
seems that many British and
French, not to mention
Americans were killed shortly
afterwards, in spite Of the
exchange.
History would suggest that
we may very well lose q
great deal more than "pres-
tige" if we execute this trac-
tor trade and continue our
spoon-fed, milk-pap policy.
Warren N. Low
William S. Whites warn
ing regarding United States
responsibility to step into the
vacuum created by Trujillo's
assassination recalled a re-
cent article by Caribbean AP
newsman Harold K. Milks.
Mr.. Milks reported that the
consensus of informed opin-
ion in Cuba was that II
Castro's terrorist regime re-
mains long in power, all Latin
America will fall.
The article drew a sadden-
ing picture Of a once happy
island now turned into a
reign of outright terror-with
thousands Of helpless Cubans
grabbed up by Castro police
agents and herded into de-
tention centers or impris-
oned. 1t also told of the
shattered and disheartened"
Castro opposition, which be-
fore the invasion" had
threatened to develop into a
potentially dangerous threat
to Castro-now only "a mass
of unhappy and angered Gu
bans" hating the regime "but
too terrified by armed
strength to oppose it." It
said a former anti Castro un-
derground leader wept openly
as he described how the
armed police net spread
quickly to control not only
the factories and farms but
the "homes and schools"
Most horrifying was that
diplomatic observers" were
saying that the way to beat
this vicious regime is to have
United States propagandists
make Castro look silly" And
if that was what we were
supposed to be doing in our
shameful acceptance of a
Grass and belittling offer to
trade Cuban patriots for
bulldoZers we sure made q
flop of it. 1t was our coun-
try which ended up looking
weakened and ridiculous.
No wonder Cuban patriots
believe we betrayed" them.
And no wonder Khrushchev
was so gay after the SUM
nit"
Experts say that our rich
and powerful country is the
last real obstacle to Soviet
control of the world. Our
defeat in Southeast Asia is
being predicted. How dare
we encourage freedom loving
groups into uprising which,