CUBAN REVOLUTION

Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1933, Page 5

CUBAN REVOLUTION

A WAVE OF CRIME

DOWFALL OF THE PRESIDENT. (United Press Association—3y Electric Tele^apn—Copyright,.)' : , / ' HAVANA, August 12. Cuban mobs gladly celebrated tho -down.Ml of President Machado. They x jturned.lthe streets of this capital into a“ hysteria'of lawlessness' to-dfty as the elimination off the dictatorial' executive has settled many problems only to produce others that are perhaps moio dangerous. ' ‘ 1 .

. President Machado was able to make his escape by an aeroplane, bnt many of his followers have not been so fortunate. They were obliged to remain and face the vengeance of the aroused .masses, with the army, which so dramatically engineered the coup d’ etat, apparently taking ionly normal measures to preserve order . A -wavg of murder,, .vandalism and

looting.has swept the city. The tragS- :edy was: blended with comedy,, as the / population, paraded the streets apparently determined to obliterate everything associated in the public mind with the abdicated President.

After pDoming the Presidential palace, and looting the . furnishings, and food prdyisions, and mutilating the-decorations, facetiously put al ndtico < 'For ilent M on the gates of the palacei''They carried a piano into a nearby opposition newspaper office., where they broke it into pieces, and distributed them as souvenirs in a gala celebration.'

Meanwhile, others stormed ' and wrecked the offices of the pro-Machado journal “Herald de Cuba,’’, belonging to the deposed secretary of State, Senor Herrara. They destroyed the machinery, and set the .fine new building on fire,

Twenty-one persons were killed and more than two hundred were wounded in a'‘demonstration, held on Saturday in celebration of the downfall of President Machadp. There were torrential rains, accompanied'by intense electrical storms, late in the day, which quickly cleared the’ streets of the ihoh, which had| ransacked ’ the palace,; and had looted and' burned the homes of adherents of the deposed President. Colonel.-Antonia"’Jiminez 1 ; the Chief of the dreaded I 'Secret^Police;.-was shot nnd killed i: by ' sqTdiefs’ after he had wounded-ftn unidentified'' man who ’ was celebrating - the end of the Machado administration. • ■ ’ Colonel Jiminez’s body, was kicked about the street. •" - : ' ■ After h6’ had wounded the demon strator, Colonel Jimineii turned his gun on a group of soldiers, who immed' iately shot'-.him. '• -‘"G - - Soldiers 1 also shot’down Jose- Mag-’ rins, whom the Communists and students accused of having killed ' Julio AntoniaflMella, a' Cuban student Communiat.vin Mexico, on -January 10. 1929. • '

Following President Machado’s collapse, General Alberto Herrara, who had been appointed Secretaryvof State, for the , purpose ofi succeeding,: was President for a couple of hours, hut Carlos Manuel de Cespedjs,: former Cuban ambassador to the United States, was named as provincial President by all of the political parties and the army,

Presidenji. Machado has fled inland, in an aeroplane, bound for Nassau. Earlier in the day, officers of the aviation corps informed the United States ambassador. Mr Welles, that General Herrara was. an impossible choice for the provisional Presidency They declare that the successor of Machado must be a non-military and impartial man, and not anyone connected in any way,,with; [the Machado regime. Both the .people and file army, they said, were opposed to General Herrara. Senor Carlos Manuel de Cespeds,. the choice of. all of the, Cuban political parties for provisional President, on Saturday night officially took over that office.

STRIKE NOW IN FULL SWING.

ARMY IN CONTROL OF CITY.

HAVANA, August 12. The strike which precipitated the crisis is still in full,swing.

Numerous military executions are reported, and there are rumours of spreading violence in the provinces, but the disrupted communications and the censorship IpreVent the co n firm alt io'.n of these.

The Cuban State Department to-day formally advised the diplomatic corps, '—'that President Machado will take leave of absence from the Presidency. The application may be submitted to the Cuban Congress at midday, and pro-

. bably it will be granted without disff The Cuban army yesterday assumed control of the c.ity. They took over • the Congress building and the Supreme Court, while a small force of loyal, troops is guarding the President Machado in the palace. ..

It is not known whether he is.under military arrest. .' ' ! Some neutral observers think that

if i s a clever "ruse ,by President Machto get General Herrera made Dictator so that Senor Machado may return when order is restored. This would not be acceptable to the people. The Cuban army on Friday. demand-

ed the resignation within twenty-four hours of Pre; 'dent Machado. This move was suggested recently by mediators attempting to solve the political turmoil. A time limit was set, to expire on Saturday at noon,

“LEAVE OF ABSENCE” GRANTED.

STUDENTS DESTROY MONUMENT.

(Received this day at 9 a.m.) HAVANA, August 13

Late this evening, Congress assembled secretly, guarded by soldiers, and accepted President Machado’s petition for “leave of absence” and prepared the way for the institution of Cespeos as President. Official action is scheduled for Sunday. Meantime rioting continued unrestrained, not only by mobs, but among soldiers, apparently acting under instructions, systematically hunting down and killing Porristas. Fragmentary reports from the province state that like scenes are occurring' in other pities. Students expended much energy to destroy a: large statue at Havan called the Machado Beacon monument. Working in relays, and using sledge hammers and crowbars, they broke it down piece by piece. A military order to clear the streets during th o evening was completely ignored, the soldiers making no attempt to halt the looting.