INVASION OF CUBA

Press, Volume C, Issue 29499, 28 April 1961, Page 20

INVASION OF CUBA

“Secret” Part Of U.S. (N.Z Press Asm.—CopvngM* NEW YORK. April 28. The United States Government's part in the refugee recruiting and training camps before the Cuban invasion last week was a “secret” operation, according to the official line in Washington, the “New York Times” chief Washington correspondent said today. "But it was about as secret as opening day in Yankee Stadium,” New York's main baseball ground, the correspondent, James Reston, added.

Castro had his agents in the camps. The Cuban Radio was brooadcasting all about these camps and the United States Government's part in them weeks before they were discussed in the American press, he said. Reston, who gave his views on the newspaper handling of the invasion, said part of the official inquiry in Washington into the "Cuban fiasco” would deal with the problems of a free press in a cold war.

He said the only people who knew very little about what was happening in the early planning stages of the exercise were the American people. "They were unknowingly picking up the tab (bill) and may yet have to redeem the promises to chase the bearded bully boy into the Caribbean,” he said.