MOB LAW IN CUBA

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1933, Page 7

MOB LAW IN CUBA

ARMY DEPOSES PRESIDENT

HIS ESCAPE BY ’PLANE [BY CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.] HAVANA, August 12. The Cuban Army, yesterday, demanded the resignation within twentyfour hours of President Machado. This move was suggested recently by mediators attempting to solve the political turmoil. A time limit was set. to expire to-day at noon. The army yesterday assumed control of the city. They took over the Congress building and the Supreme Court, while a small force of loyal troops is guarding President Machado in the palace. It is not known whether he is under military arrest. Some neutral observers think that it. is a clever ruse by President Machado to get General Herrera made Dictator so that Machado may return when order is restored. This would not be accentable to the people. LATER.

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 prevent the confirmation of these.

The Cuban State Department today 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 probably it ,will be granted without discussion.

MOB WREAKS VENGEANCE MURDER AND DESTRUCTION HAVANA, August 12. Cuban mobs gladly celebrated the downfall of President Machado. They turned the streets of this capital into a hysteria of lawlessness, to-day, as the elimination of the dictatorial executive has settled many problems only to produce others that are perhaps more dangerous. President Machado was able to make his escape by an aeroplane, but 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 only normal measures to preserve order. A wave of murder, vandalism and looting has swept the city. The tragedy 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 storming the Presidential pal ace, and looting the furnishings, and food provisions, and mutilating the decorations, students facetiously put up a notice “For Rent” on the gates of the palace. 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 “Heraldo 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 in celebration of the downfall of Machado. Torren tial rains, accompanied by intense electrical storms, late in the day. quickly cleared the streets of the mob. POLICE CHIEF SHOT Colonel Antonia Jiminez, the Chief of the dreaded Secret Police, was shot and killed by soldiers after he had wounded an unidentified man who was celebrating the end of the Machado administration. Coloned Jiminez s body was kicked about the street. Soldiers also shot down Jose Alagrins, whom the Communists and students accused of having killed Julio Antonia Melia, a Cuban student Communist, in Mexico, on January 10, 1929. Following Machado's collapse, General Alberto Herrara, who had been appointed Secretary of Stale, for the purpose of succeeding, was President for a couple of hours, but Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, former Cuban Ambassador to the United States, was named as provisional President by all of the political parties and the army. Earlier in the. day, officers of the Aviation Corps informed the United States Ambassador, Mr. Wells, 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 the army they said, were opposed to General Herrara. Senor de Cespedes, the choice ot all of the Cuban political parties for provisional President, officially took over that office, to-night. SECRET POLICE HUNTED. HAVANA. August 12. The political situation Ims been so confused throughout, that nobody appeared to know the nation’s exact “constitutional” status. However, tew seemed to care, the people realising that after years of pent-up hatred, it was not the time to consider the ultimate fate of the Government. Carefully laid plans to effeci :i change of Presidents constitutionally, were nullified by a reluctant- ■ of ihe majority of the members of congress to , expose themselves to the public. This plan was that all of th<- ('.ibim t im inkers, except General llerreTj should resign, and that, ho should ho I’iesident for a. few hours, and appoint Senor Manuel de Cespedes as Secretary of State. After this appointment had been confirmed by Congress, General Herrara would resign, and Senor Cespedes would assume the Presidency, but. fear of the mob kept the majority of the Congressmen indoors. The Congress could not be convened, 1 and the plan failed. The Army lead- ; ers were reluctant to handle the mob. 1 Mr Franklin stated that he would try to persuade them to keep order, blit, he would not risk further bloodI shed by force vengeance.

The crowd directed itself principally against known Machado partisans and so-called “Porristas” of President Machado, the Secret Police, who during recent years, have reputediv murdered hundreds of oppositionists. Af-

ter General Jiminez was shot, his body was horribly mutilated, and was paraded through the streets on top of an automobile, and finally was thrown in from, of the hospital, where forty bullet wounds were found in the body. it is unknown hew manv of tho Porristas were killed.

Late in the afternoon a rain storm subdued the mob temporarily, but later the weather cleared, and the rioting started with renewed vigour.

It is reported that, a group of the Porristas barricaded themselves in Machado’s bouse, equipped with machine guns, and prepared to sell their lives dearly. A group of students attempted to storm this building, but they were repulsed and several injured, which it is feared, would further infuriate the mob, and prolong the rioting.

The impulses of the crowds seemed to go to fantastic lengths to destroy anything connected with the former President. A theatre belonging to his barber was raided, the fixtures, costumes and properties being destroyed. All or the shops allegedly belonging to friends of Machado were treated similarly. The homes of the members of the Cabinet throughout the suburbs were looted, as were the homes of President Machado’s political supporters. A fear that United States intervention might still be necessary, unless order were restored, was expressed in American business circles. One United States commercial representative reported that in their anger sections of the crowd had threatened to sack his establishment, which is a Standard Oil Coy. branch. Tho aeroplane in which General Herrara was making his escape, was fired on and pierced by bullets, but none was injured.

Herrara was maxing nis escape, was fired on and pierced by bullets, but none was injured. “LEAVE OF ABSENCE.” (Received August 14, 9 a.m.) HAVANA, August 12. Late this evening. Congress assembled secretly, guarded by soldiers, and accepted Machado's petition for “leave of absence.” This prepared tho way for the institution of Cespedes as President. Official action is scheduled for Sunday. Meanwhile, the Rioting continued unrestrained, not only the mobs, but the soldiers apparently acting under instructions, systematically hunting down and killing Porristas. Fragmentary reports from the provinces stated that like scenes are occurring in other cities. Students expended much energy to destroy a large statue called “The Machado Bacon Monument.” Working in relays and lining sledge hammers and crowbars, they broke it down piece by piece. A military older to clear the •.treets during the evening was completely ignored, the soldiers making no attempt to halt the looting. BRITISH GOVT.’s DENIAL RUGBY. August 14. The Foreign Office announces: — “It has been reported in the Press that His Majesty’s Minister at Havana, Mr. Grant Watson, had made representations to the United States Ambassador, therein, in connection with damage to British property in Cuba. Such reports are entirely unfounded. The British Minister has made no request whatever for protection, to the United States Ambassador. He has, in fact, reported by telegraph that the British colony is safe, and that he has heard of no damage to British property, with one exception namely, the setting on fire on August 10 of a hut used for the cable connection of the Cuban Submarine Telegraph Company at Beinfurgos. Mr. Watson has asked the Cuban Government for an investigation of this.” TARIFF BLAMED. WASHINGTON, August 12. Secretary Hull said to-day that the tariff policy of the United States had blocked Cuban commerce, and every effort, would be made to remedy the situation.