Evening star., 1962-11-09
Let's Stop Kidding

Inc Time mas come IN the CUBAN
business when we should stop trying to
kid ourSelveS-not to mention other
people. We, meaning our own Govern
ment, might be able to fool the Ameri-
can people. But no one else will be fooled
A spokesman for the State Depart
ment, who presumably has to say what
he's told to say, announced in very firm
terms yesterday afternoon 'that there
still must be 'verification on the ground"
OF the withdrawal of Soviet ballistic
missiles from Cuba. On the day before,
however, a spokesman for the Defense
Department said that Russian ships
were leaving Cuba with the offensive
missiles aboard. Mr.. Khrushchev (in
jovial mood in Moscow confirmed this
on Wednesday. And the Wednesday
word in Washington was that the Soviet
missile carrying ships would be "con-
tacted" by United States ships at sea.
This contact" might consist of an actual
search, quick look from alongside, or
possibly helicopter scrutiny No queS-
tions on these points were being an
swered at the Pentagon, and our De-
fenSe officials conveyed the impression
that such questions shouldn't even be
asked.
Maybe not. But as things stand it
is clear that the tough stand of few
days back on removal of the offensive
weapons from Cuba under United Ma
tions supervision has been filed and
forgotten. Even If one takes seriously
yesterdays pronouncement from the
State Department-which we do not
what will be done to verify the removal
OF missiles through on-the- ground in
spection In Cuba? Will every nook, cave
and Granny be searched for hidden mis-
sues? VIII nuclear WarheadS, easily
concealed, be tracked down? Will the
RuSsian-f furnished jet bombers be re-
Grated and shipped out of Cuba? Let's
not be ridiculous And let's stop kidding
the American people.
Fidel Castro has won his point.
There is not going to be any real veri-
fication on the ground in Cuba. And
the pretenSe that this country can
ascertain the score in Cuba by taking a
quick look at Russian ships at sea is
the kind of fairy tale that should be
saved for small children. They might
believe it. But it is not for adults.
With all this, it aSSuredly does not
follow that the United States has taken
a. clicking in the Cuban affair. On bal
ance, the converse probably is true.
Castro, even though he may have man
aged to hang on to a few missiles, nu-
clear warheads and jet bombers, is no
serious threat to the United States. He
may not know much, but he knows this
much, and none of us need lie awake
nights worrying about military men
ace from Havana. 1t simply isn't there
There is also ample reason to doubt
that Mr. KhruShchev still thinks there
are any bets to be won by him in Cas-
tro'S Cuba. Our guess is that Mr. Khru-
Shchev on this point, has had it. And
we would like to think that he had his
right hand on the Bible when he said
on Wednesday in Moscow! who won?
Who lost? Human reason won. Mankind
won II we the Kremlin had not shown
reason we would not be here at this
Moscow reception, and the American
CACSViOllo LllSIG lIOG HdFe IdhSl pldCe
either"
4 One would like to believe this and
the differences that could be drawn
from it. The fact is, however, that Mr.
Khrushchev now says that some 40 mis-
siles have been withdrawn from Cuba,
although it was only few days ago
that Mr.. Gromyko, even after the evi-
dence of the photographs, was solemnly
assuring the President that there were
no such missiles in Cuba. To sum this
up in the incest possible way, this coun-
try was being kidded by the Russians.
With considerable regret, we feel com
PEELED to suggest that the American
people are also being kidded by their
own governmental SpokeSmen.