Evening star., 1962-12-27

/ NS@aNsNNSt
ter and milk for the children.
This is the first chicken my
family has tasted In six
months" said Miro Gonzales
Cuevas, who arrived in Havana
from Oriente Province yester-
day to join the exodus. His
son. Ramiro, 20. was among the
Bay of Pigs captives who were
liberated and flown to Florida
Sunday and Monday.
Oldest of the refugees aboard
was Anglia Ceballos de Marero,
89-year-old grandmother Of one
Of the prisoners. The youngest
was q baby born 20 days ago.
Many women wore house.
coats during the voyage. I'm
saving my good clio, IS to look
nice for my husbss =. when II
arrive In Florida" one ex-
planned.
Others wore curriers' and fixed
their hair as the ship neared
Port Everglades.
Items COnfiscated
They left Cuba with little
but the clothes they wore.
Many items which apparently
exceeded Mr.. Castro's limita-
tions were taken from the
refugees on the dock at Ha-
vana.
One woman said the soldiers
took my sweater, cigarette
case and extra shoes. and ar
gued over some medicine I had
in my handbag.
II argued with them, but
they asked me, DO you want
to go or stay'?"
AS a Christmas bonus" Mr..
Castro agreed to let the rela-
tives leave Cuba, following the
prisoners who spend 20 months
in Mr.. Castro's crowded jails
after the gallant but futile ef-
fort to free their country from
his rule.
Chief topic Of conversation
aboard the ship was the plight
of a man who was turned
away as the African Pilot pre-
pared to move out.
A shabbily dressed Negro
raced up the rising gangplank
hrieking "Ayudame (help |
me) |" last night as the Afri-
can Pilot made ready to cast
off.
Guards on deck, strictly
charged to let no more aboard
the crowded craft, regretfully !
barred his entry. Two Cuban
soldiers on the pier scrambled
up and yanked their trembling |
countryman back to the dock.
A man in. workers clothes
threw an arm around his shoul-
ders and led him away. Two
armed soldiers followed the pair
around q corner of a ware
house crammed with $11 mil
lion in drugs and food which
the African Pilot brought to
Cuba Sunday as down payment
on a $50 million commodity
ransom for lib men Premier
Castro's troops captured in the
April IT, 1861, invasion at the
Bay of Pigs.
The outbound African Pilot
glided past Moro Castle,
ancient stone sentinel Of Ha-
vana harbor, at 6:51 pm. i
about two hours later than
scheduled.
In another development,
President Kennedy planned a
conference at Palm Beach,
where he is spending the
Christmas holidays, with five
liberated leaders of the inva-
sion force which was beaten
back in its Cuba attack 20l
months ago.
White House Secretary Pierre |
Salinger, who announced the
meeting, said the subject of the
conference would be left to the
Cubans.
Plea TO Captain
While the relatives were
boarding the African Pilot yes
terday, Nancy Rodriguez. a rep
resentative Of the prisoners
Families Committee, ap-
preached Capt. Alfred Boerum
with an appeal to take more
than 1000.
II would like to-" the skipper
replied, but I am deeply sorry,
we absolutely must hold 1t at
,0OO."
mot even one moreP" she
asked.
mot one more; we cannot do
1t. It would be unsafe"
There was no explanation.
The freighter brought to
Havana Sunday an $ll million
first shipment of food and
drugs asked by Mr.. Castro in
exchange for the prisoners.
The Red Cross said yesterday
that companies have promised
to donate the $42 million worth
Of goods still to be sent to
Cuba.
"Only shipping must be ar
ranged" q spokesman said.
this is five or six months"
this in five or six months"
The relatives began boarding
the ship at pm. yesterday in
hot. sunny weather. Seventy
per cent were women and chill
dren. Some Of the elderly u
overcome by heat and emotion
tainted on the docks. Some
went aboard on stretchers or
In wheelchairs. Children looked
bewildered as they waited in
the long boarding line and
mothers daubed at tears. Men
wore their best suits.