CITY OF TERROR

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1933, Page 8

CITY OF TERROR

FIERCE FIGHTING IN CUBA HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE OCCURS Fierce fighting attended with severe bloodshed has added yet another dark page to the troubled history of Havana the capital of Cuba. The island has been lately iti a state of confusion for two months, revolution following revolution, while all the time strikes added to the difficulties of the population. In the fighting recently an American civilian, three officers and 20 soldiers were killed and 15 others wounded. , . ’

While many Americans are reported to be in danger, all British subjects were safe and were being treated with marked- respect.

The fighting broke out at the National, Hotel, where troops launched an assault against 450 officers who had been beleaguered for some weeks, and it spread to other parts of the cny. The 450 army and navy officers took refuge in the National Hotel when the revolutionary junta overthrew the Cespcdes 'Government. Their objections at the time wpre directed against Sergeant .Batista, whom the junta promoted to be Chief of Staff, -and who favoured the reinstating of the officers after due “purification.” The Batista soldiers guarding the hotel sent the self-imprisoned officers an ultimatum to resume their old commands, but they refused to comply. They had remained in the hotel protected by, machine-guns, persistently refusing to risk their lives by coming out. Sixty soldiers secretly joined the officers a couple or days before, the outbreak.

ARTILLERY IN ACTION When the troops opened fire' on the National Hotel they were met by a heavy counter-fire. The attackers - ultimately drove two heavily-armoured trucks up to the hotel carriage drive, and from these kept up a heavy fire. Still, foiled, the soldiers brougth up artillery with which they bombarded the hotel.

After nearly four hours of heavy fighting the beleaguered officers were'* still holding their own. Trained shots within their ranks picked off soluieit. in the armoured trucks, and while tub soldiers were suffering ' heavily the defenders’ casualties were, comparatively small. As the day wore on the plight of the officers in, the hotel became desperate. Although fighting was still going on in other parts of the city, it was generally believed that the plot attributed to the officers ha|d failed. The i civilians in, the , city had not revolted I as they had planned, but had left the officers,, in. the.,lur.ch.An ,tbe hotel.“r,'U' “ Enegetie. measures for the capture of the hotel were later taken by Colonel Batista. One shell hurtled through a. window, and fir e broke out in the hotel, but was subdued, Another big shell' shattered the- main while others burst against the exterior of the hotel with disastrous results. After three-quarters of an hour of heavy cannonading, holes through which a hearse could be driven had been breached in the walls and 20 of the defenders were dead. The gunboau Patria, stationed two miles off the coast, also used its guns againt the hotel. • i

WHITE FLAG HOISTED Eventually a truce was arranged to allow of the evacuation of British aiid American subjects from the .danger zone, which was raked with . heavy fire. This was negotiated by representatives of .the United States’ Consulate, who visited Colonel Batista and urged a temporary cessation of hostilities. The British subjects ware . taken to the British Legation, and similar steps were taken with regard to Americans. When the truce expired the . bombardment of the hotel was resumed, the officers were reported to have sent out another defiant message: “We will not surrender. They will find our bodies under the ruins of the hotel.”

Shortly afterwards, however, triumphant shouts from the soldiers outside greeted the appearance over the hotel of a large white sheet. Though it was taken as a. signal of surrender the firing continued, though with diminished intensity, for some time. When it ceased, a stream of shouting screaming and gesticulating soldiers dashed into the hotel and the removal of the officers and their guns and equipment began. The American victim of the shooting was the assistant manager of the Swift Company. He was killed by rifle fire while in an adjacent hotel. On declaring their nationality British subjects are passed through the lines to the acconipaniment, of the cry: “They are Britishers! Let them pass.”

MARKS OF QUALITY. New Zealand' has a particular interest in the discussion on marks of origin which has arisen at tho International Conference in London, for it i a .by means of such national marks that Empire countries are able to take advantage of Imperial sentiment anu oi superior quality. Similarly, the housewife looking for quality in a breakfast food can rely on the fam'ous Red Diamond mark. Red Diamond Rolled Oate for instance are very economical, yet far superior an flavour and more bygenic in uee than loose oats. f 'vV