Cuban Revolution

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 26 August 1933, Page 11

Cuban Revolution

THE Republic of Cuba has figured promininently in the cable news recently, the revolution on the island having attracted

much attention. President Machado, after having served one term in the Presidency and having been inaugurated for a second term, has been deposed and has fled for refuge to British territory at Nassau, in the Bahamas. A new President has been set up in his place, hut whether he will be able to settle the disturbances and bring peace to the Cuban people is a matter that the future alone will reveal.

For many years the United States has had a great interest in the country. Probably itwas the distress of the Cubans during the Spanish regime that first attracted the attention of the American Government and people to affairs in Cuba. The United States effectually intervened between the Spaniards and the Cuban rebels in .1898, defeating the Spaniards in the Spanish-American War and liberating for ever the Cuban people from the domination of Spain. During the present revolution there has again been talk of American intervention to restore order, but that intervention will doubtless only take place as a last resort. The Cubans were intensely anxious in 1898 for American intervention, but reports state that they are not so anxious for American action on this occasion, as the Cuban people: have been called upon to repel the threatened “American invasion,” as it has been called. Charges have been laid against ex-President Machado by Dr. Jose de la Vega of “misappropriation of public funds, frauds, falsities, swindles, homicides, murders, and the use of firearms against certain persons.” If the ex-President is found guilty of the charges brought against him it is unlikely that he himself will be molested, as he is, for the time being, in safety. The proximity of Cuba to America, it being only 100 miles distant from Florida, together with the fact of the importance of the island and its large population of over 3,000,000 inhabitants, cause Cuba to be of much interest to the Americans. In fact the island, though Cuba was granted independence after having been held by the Americans at the close of the war with Spain, is really an American protectorate. Cuba, too, has an interest for Britishers owing to the fact that in 1763 Havana, the capital city, was captured by Lord Albemarle after a siege of six weeks, marked by a gallant resistance by the Spaniards under their commander, Velasco. Britain held possession of the country for a year and then restored it to Spain receiving in .exchange Florida on the: American mainland. It is one of the ironies of history that neither Florida nor Cuba now belong to the Empire. However, the British Empire is quite large enough and “earth-hunger” should not in these days be a fault of the British people.. Itis also interesting to the Empire that the United Railways of Havana, one of the most importantsystems in the country, is a British concern. During the present revolution it was stated that much damage had been done to British property, but this has since been denied by an important British official resident in Cuba. The island was one of the first discoveries of Columbus, who landed there in 1492. For over 400 years it remained a Spanish possession until freed by the; Americans in 1898. In the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Cuba was used as a base of operations by the Spanish conqueror, Cortes, who sailed from St, Jago to the conquest of the land of Montezuma. The great revolutions freed Mexico and the whole of her South American and Central American colonies from Spain, but Cuba, which remained a Spanish possession for over four centuries, has the distinction of having been almost the last of the American countries to be liberated.

A great rebellion against Spanish authority in Cuba took place in 1868 and lasted for ten. years. This rebellion was put down and reforms were promised. However, in 18.95, another revolt broke out and the cruelties of the Spaniards towards the Cubans caused much indignation in the United States. The Cuban rebels, under Cfarcia and other leaders, carried on the war against Spain with courage and success. The rebels were greatly heartened when America at length intervened and President Mclvinlay declared war on Spain on April 24. 1898. The event that preceded the declaration of war was the sinking of the American battleship Maine at Havana in the preceding February. The Maine bad been ordered to Havaan as a refuge for American citizens and was blown up and sunk in the harbour. The Americans accused the Spaniards of destroying the battleship and the result was war between Spain and America. Seven years later the remains of the wrecked warship were still to be seen projecting above the surface of the water. In 1912 the vessel was raised, taken out to the open sea by a convoy of American battleships and sunk in the Atlantic. The bodies of the crew who lost their lives in the explosion which destroyed the Maine have been interred in the Arlington National Cemetery at Washington. The battlecry of the Americans during the.war was “Remember the Maine.” The Spaniards were totally defeated, the naval forces of Spain being overwhelmed by Admiral Sampson at Santiago, Cuba, and Admiral Dewey at Manila Bay, Philippines. The land forces of Spain in Culm were also utterly overthrown. As the result of the war Spain lost Cuba, the Philippines. Porto Rico and the island of Guam, which were ordered to the Americans.

Cuba is the largest island in the West Indies and is more than seven hundred miles long, with a width varying from twenty to one hundred and sixty miles. It has a coastline of 2000 miles. The chief towns are Havana, the capital (which has a population of almost half a million), Camaguey (92,000), Cienfuegos (83,000) and Santiago, on Santiago Bay. Havana is a city of broad avenues and beautiful parks. The port of Havana is a most important one, ocean lines from many lands and vessels from all parts of the West Indies finding their way there. Half of Cuba’s imports enter the country by the port of Havana. In the city are many beautiful homes, which, are described

Why Should America Intervene?

(Written for the “Star” by T.C)

as being almost palatial. The. American residents live in the suburb of Vedado. There the houses are built with wide, cool porches that get their breezes fronY the sea, and are set in the midst of beautiful gardens filled with tropical trees and flowers. Some of the houses are almost hidden by flaming masses of bougainvilleas and royal poinciana trees, which when in blossom look like huge balls of vivid scarlet while over the whole tall royal palms wave their gi’aceful fronds. In Spanish days Havana was strongly fortified and was deemed by the Spaniards to be impregnable. It was, however, attacked several times by English, French and Dutch. The city was sacked in 1554 and again in 1585 by French pirates. One of the main defences was Morro Castle, built to protect Havana from pirates and the enemies of Spain. The castle .is more than 500 years old and was partly built from the solid rock. Another great fortress which was oven larger than Morro Castle was the Cabanas. This fortress took 100 years to build and is now obsolete. Nearby also are the ruins of the fortress of La Punta. There in 1851 Narciso Lopez was executed for having led an insurrection against Spain. Havana also has a magnificent cathedral, the! Columbus Cathedral, so called because the bones of the great navigator were supposed to have been interred there. They were said to have been conveyed from Santo Domingo in 1795 and to have remained at Havana until 1898, Avhen they were removed and filially interred in Seville, Spain. Some authorities state that the: remains that were removed to Seville were not- those of Columbus, but those of his son Diego and that the bones of Columbus are still in Sail Domingo. Camaguey, the second city of the island, is situated in the interior towards the eastern extremity and has been termed one of the most picturesque places in all Latin America. In 1688 the city was sacked by the famous buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan. . Camaguey has many beautiful churches which are centuries old. In one of these Morgan imprisoned many of the people, while he took into his possession the treasures of the city. Santiago, one of the most important cities, lies on the south-eastern coast of Cuba. It is situated on a land-locked bay. The city and bay played a great part in the SpanishAmerican "War. The city was attacked by American forces under General W. R. Shafter, assisted by Cubans under the famous rebel leader, Garcia, After several days of. fighting Santiago was surrendered to the Americans. In the bay of Santiago the Spanish ships, under Admiral Cervera, who had brought the fleet from European to American waters, had taken refuge. The harbour was blockaded by the American fleet under Admiral Sampson.. Aftei Lieutenant Hobson had sunk the Merrimac.in an unsuccessful attempt to bottle up the Spanish fleet in the bay, Cervera succeeded in making his escape: from the harbour on July 3, 1898. He was at once pursued by the American battleships and in four hours every Spanish ship had been destroyed or driven ashore. Close to Santiago are the battlefields of San Juan, where some of the most severe land fighting in the Avar took place. It Avas at San Juan that Colonel Theodore Roosevelt led his Rough Riders to the: attack. Most of the land upon which the battles took place is uoav set aside as a public park. A large monument has been erected to mark the site of the. most severe fighting of the: war. Here also is Surrender Tree, in the shadoAV of Avliich General Shafter received from the Spanish Commander the surrender of Santiago.

Although in 1902 the Americans, after having been for some: years in possession of the country, granted the Cubans independence and a wholly Cuban Government was set up, the Americans have retained a naval station on the island at Guantanamo. A magnificent harbour seventeen miles long, is protected by hills from the rough seas. So wide is the entrance to the bay of Guantanamo that it. is said that half a dozen great battleships could steam out of it together at full speed and fire their broadsides at the vessels of an enemy. This naval station is about an equal distance between Panama and New York. Here also is a dry-dock and coaling station and the harbour is large enough to hold all the vessels of the American navy. From a naval and strategic standpoint Cuba is of the utmost importance to America and the desire of America to again energetically intervene in Cuban affairs' if circumstances demand can be understood.

Not only from a naval standpoint is Cuba important to America, but from a commercial standpoint as well. Cuba is one of the: greatest sugar producing countries in the world. One quarter of all the sugar consumed in the world annually is produced in Cuba. The annual output amounts to between three and four million tons and the American people purchase and consume about 90 per cent, of the whole crop. Between two and three million acres are devoted to the cultivation of the sugar cane and this is stated to be but a fraction of the total acreage that could be'made available.

Another greal industry is the tobacco industry. In a recent year the export of tobacco was valued at £7,000.000. Most of the Cuban tobacco is grown in the mountainous districts of Western Cuba. Havana cigars are famous the world over. Some of the greatest cigar factories in the world are situated in the capital city of Cuba. America takes about two-thirds of the Cuban tobacco produced. The. most expensive cigars are said to go to England. Cuba also produces great, quantities of fruit including the banana, orange, pineapple, etc.. and these: are largely exported and much will find its way to America so close at hand.

The importance then of this great island in the Caribbean Sea to America and the world stands revealed. Anything that will bring peace to the people of Cuba and make them contented in their island home is greatly to be desired.