CUBAN ELECTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 185, 7 August 1935, Page 13

CUBAN ELECTIONS.

SET FOR DECEMBER 15.

POLITICIANS ARE CONFUSED. HAVANA, June 30. Cuban general elections were officially set for December 15 this year at a joint meeting to-day of the Cabinet and Council of State. A reduction in the intervals between elections will be recommended immediately by the Council of State to the Cabinet, according to a communique issued by the Presidential Palace. It is expected the Crowder electoral code, with modifications recommended by the American expert Professor Howard L. Mcßain, will be re-estab-lished.

The Government set the election date to-day after political parties had failed to reach an agreement after 48 hours of discussion. Various political groups desired elections to be held at dates ranging from January to June, 193t>. Others supported President Carlos Mendieta in his wish to hold them before the end of this year.

With only about five months remaining in which to call assemblies to nominate Presidential and legislative candidates and to begin campaigns, the political situation is greatly confused.

Former President Mario G. Menocal will be the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic party, a new offshoot of the old Conservative party. A majority of the other parties have no prospective candidates.

An agreement between Dr. Miguel Mariano Gomez, heading the Republican party, and Ramon Vasconcclos, now chief of the Liberal party, for a coalition campaign with Dr. Gomez as Presidential candidate, has brought a storm of protest from party ranks. Many prominent Liberals assert such an arrangement is unacceptable. They threaten a split in the party ranks.

The Nationalist party, of which President Mendieta is a member, has no candidate; nor has the newly organised National Reform party, purporting to be composed of former revolutionary groups, such as the A.8.C., Autenticos and others.

Political observers point out that, despite revolutionary activities and new political alignments formed during the past two years, Cuba retains the Liberals and Conservatives, her two old parties; and only by coalition can the various new political organisations hope to be real factors in the coming elections.