Evening star., 1961-04-30
Cuban Prospect

~ ID u1lOCIoOdIlUdU1C b11dG OuE
Government, speaking through Press
Officer Lincoln White of the State
Department, has taken decidedly dim
view of suggestions from Havana that
the Castro regime is willing to negotiate
with Washington for resumption of
diplomatic relations and a peaceful
settlement of the present explosive
situation.
The suggestions are contained in a
long statement read by President
OSvaldo DorticoS (and signed by him
and Prime Minister Fidel' Castro) to the
Latin American diplomatic corps in the
Cuban capital. Summed up, the state
ment makes two main points. One Of
these violently aSSailS the United States
for planning to attack Cuba militarily
at any moment with the aim of over
throwing the government" And the
other, with an air Of sweet reasonable
ness, suggests that Havana is ready,
willing and eager to hold diplomatic
conversations designed to bring about
an amicable, mutually acceptable "Solu-
ton of all the problems" involved In the
shattered relations between our two
countries.
Clearly, as Mr.. White has indicated
the United States can hardly be censured
If it looks with jaundiced eye on such
statements After all, ever since their
advent to power, the CaStroites have
periodically given voice to velvety words
about wanting to get along with our
country in a spirit Of good neighborli
ness. At the same time, however, in
manner that must surely diSmay or
frighten all knowledgeable CubanS,
Fidel and friends have so closely linked
themselves with the Sino-Soviet bloc
that they have become prime agents,
prime tools, prime purveyorS Of the
doctrine of Red totalitarianiSm in the
Western Hemisphere. In short, they
are key members Of the Communist
conspiracy in the Americas, and that
is why our Government, in Mr.. Whites
words, holds that what they stand for
which Is the overthrow Of our inter-
American System-is not negotiable.
In any case, again to quote Mr.
White, this is a matter that needs to be
dealt with on hemisphere scale, not
just between Havana and Washington.
Despite the wild charges Of Cuba's Red
propagandistS, the United States has no
desire to resort to armed intervention
against Fidel Castro'S tyranny, nor
should there be such intervention unless
or until 1t becomes imperative in terms
of our own country'S security and the
future well-being of the Organization
Of American States. Accordingly, as
emphasized by men like Representative
KowalSki Of Connecticut, our country
Government and people exercise
patience at this time, at least to the
point of realizing that "even though
emotions cry otherwise, the United
States is big enough to talk to Cuba"
and that 1--WE should give Castro one
more opportunity to demonstrate to the
world and to the United States that he
is not tool Of Soviet subversion."
Certainly, up to now, the bearded
young dictator has given every evidence
of being such tool. That is why there
is so much tension between his country
and ours. The threat is very big one,
at least potentially, and the whole inter
American community has every reason
to reckon with the possibility that armed
Intervention may yet be necessary to
prevent deadly Soviet take-over-
unless, that is, Fidel rises to the oppor-
tunity suggested by Mr.. KowalSki.