Evening star., 1961-05-07
Action, Not Words

There Is indeed reason for
bowling our heads in shame
for ineptitude with which we
have handled conditions in
Cuba as they have developed.
But there is yet time to ex-
tricate ourselves from our
contribution to the mess, and
to help preserve the freedom
Of those people who want
freedom.
If our leaders in the White
House, the National Security
Council, and the State De-
partment have learned any
thing about Communist goals
and methods, and If they
truly understand and appre-
ciate the ways Of freedom,
they have forgotten all Of
this in their handling of the
Cuban situation.
We have seen the Commu-
mist military buildup to the
point where it could quell
almost any internal uprising.
In the face Of this. our own
authorities find themselves
without an honorable plan
for meeting the threat to the
Western Hemisphere.
This is not to say that
such a plan could not be de-
veloped. But without one.
those to whom our planning
and leadership are entrusted
have been frustrated. AS Is
frequently the case. frustra-
ton has led to a desperate
and silly handling of the
problem.
We cannot undo the harm
already committed. But is it
too much to expect that those
in authority may yet devise a
modus operandi which will be
both effective and consonant
with what we like to call the
American way of life?
Lloyd Buchanan.
= =
KhruShchev was right when
he said there are too many
lawyers in the United States.
The present muddle of Off
cial thought on Cuba typifieS
this. The legaiistic mind can
not see through. so it ap-
pears. the haze and get to
the core Of the matter. For
81 months we have examined
and re-examined Castro's
Cuba with a continuing opti-
mism. And one after another
straw image has disappeared.
Too late we have done what
was necessary months before.
Cut the sugar import-em-
barge on certain goods. And
now 1t looks as If. too late
again, we will impose total
embargo.
Russia has sent 100 tanks
and MICS! What more evi-
dence does Washington need
that we are at war with
Cuba? Perhaps when several
missile sites are set up we
will blockade-too late again!
If we intervene now, are
there serious-thinking Amer
leans in high places who
think Russia will support
Cuba with the only effective
measure it can-rocketS? At
the present time that is alb
surd. With missile sites on
Cuban soil, however, we'd be
blackmailed for 100 years, If
we lasted that long.
It's time our legalistic-
thinking intellectuals look
down from their lofty perches
to the brutal facts Of sur
vival. Quick. decisive action
is needed. Nothing would be
more effective than facing
Khrushchev with a fait ac-
compli! The American and
other free peoples are starv-
ing for one solitary, absolute,
complete. total victory over
communism. In Cuba we can
achieve this. And if the
American people are too fat,
dumb and happy to risk war,
and would rather accept de-
feat by long, drawn-out attri-
tion than move forward
against communism, do they
deserve to stay free? Khru-
shchev must be happy he
found this an inactive, dor
mant Nation - which, Of
ficially and intellectually
thinks in riddles.
Roger A. McShea.
4
When your letter corre-
spondent, William j. Reeves,
said Let the Cubans de-
eide their own destiny" I
agreed, but when he inSinu-
ated that the United States
was trying to do that, and
said, Hands off Cuba" I
disagreed. ;
The United States is not