“U.S. Must Keep Soviet Bases Out Of Cuba”

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29251, 8 July 1960, Page 13

“U.S. Must Keep Soviet Bases Out Of Cuba”

(Rec. 11 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, July 7. Soviet rocket pads and submarine bases should be kept out of Cuba, by force if necessary, a committee of State Attomeys-General reported here yesterday.

Mr Louis Wyman, Attorney - General of New Hampshire and chairman of the committee, told reporters that force meant “United States marines." The report was made by the committee on Internal security of the National Association of Attorneys-General in convention here. The convention will vote on it later this week. Four of the five committee members signed it The fifth dissented. The report said: “No State in the Union has internal security if the United States itself is insecure. “It is shocking to see American properties and American citizens and companies pushed around and discriminated against by the Castro Government while we stand by and just watch," the report said. “Economic sanctions in such circumstances are not enough if this country or Its citizens are to have any self-respect left. “In terms of the internal security of the United -States it is simply Intolerable that we should permit construction of missile launching bases, landing fields or Russian submarine bases 90 miles off the American coast, even if it takes force to prevent it," the report said. “The same principle applies to the unlawful thefts and discriminations by the Castro Government against Americans in Cuba." The committee dismissed r-gu-ments that the Russians bad a right to arm bases in Cuba while

the United States did so In Turkey as “intellectually dishonest." In New York, the “New York Times” reported that experts believed Communist influence in Cuba would increase; but Washington officials did not believe the Communists would establish military bases on the island.

The newspaper’s military correspondent, Hanson Baldwin, said that there was as yet no reliable evidence to indicate that Soviet bloc military advisers and technicians are in Cuba, though there had been many reports of their presence. But additional Communist arms deliveries to Cuba were expected. So far the munitions delivered by the Communist nations and by some Western Powers included chiefly small arms and ammunition Eisenhower's View At his press conference earlier. President Eisenhower said the United States would take whatever action necessary to protect its own interests if the Soviet Union established a submarine base in Cuba. Mr Eisenhower said the establishment of such a base was a possibility, but he did not think it was a likelihood. The President was answering questions about a statement made yesterday by a Presidential candidate. Senator Lyndon Johnson, that the establishment of such a base was a possibility. The President added that he was not going to make any guesses about such a possibility.

Such things Were always possible in this world.

Asked what the United States might do in such an event, Mr Eisenhower said there would be an immediate conference with the Organisation of American States (0.A.5.). Pending O.A.S. action, the United States would take whatever action was necessary to protect its own interests.