The Daily Worker Newspaper, December 16, 1933, Page 5

“Ys ee ee { -mass funeral dt fbn WELLES’ LETTER EXP Yankee Imperialism Maneuvers to Preserve Its Domination in Cuba By HARRY GANNES ¢UMNER WELLES is now in Wash- ington. His return to this country does not mean a change in Roose- velt’s policy towards Cuba, Hence, the letter which we print today in the Daily Worker should be viewed in the light of the policy of American imperialism as expressed in the deeds and opinions of Welles. Jefferson Caffery, who replaces Welles, will take up his duties where Welles left off. This Jetter is taken from the Ha- yana press and is a translation from the Spanish, We had hoped to obtain & photostatic copy of the original, but that will come later. In the? meantime, we { present our read- | ers with one of ; the most impor- | tant documents } coming out of | Cuba, written by } one of the chief figures of Wall ;: ey Street in the ~~~ Cuban revolution, GRAU Sumner Welles was sent to Cuba by President Roosevelt as Wall Street's ambassador to the bloody regime of the Cuban President Machado. At that time, a series of strikes in the Sugar mills and other industries were the signal of rising revolutionary struggles led by the Cuban toiling masses, Welles called mediation meetings between the Machado forces, perpe- trators of a thousand murders, and the opposition landlord - capitalist groups, represented by the ABC, the s nd Mendiestas — all conflicting exploiting groups seeking to replace Machado as Wall Street oppressors of the Cuban masses. Visits Chase Bank Before Weiles left for Cuba, he stopped at the offices of the Chase National Bank in the Wall Street district of New York to receive in- structions and “to talk over Cuban matters.” The Chase National Bank and the National City Bank of New York are the dominant representa- tives of the American bankers, indus- trialists, mechants, utilities, railroad owners, landowners, who, with their $1,500,000,000 investment haye domi- nated the island through various na~- five dictators. The Chase National Bank helped Machado rob millions so it could ex- ploit the Cuban workers and peasants to the tune of hundreds of millions. The American bankers, supported by Washington's representatives, aid- ed Machado to butcher hundreds of workers and peasants for leading strikes and for attempting to im- prove their conditions. ‘LE Welles was negotiating with the capitalist-landlord opposition in Cuba, a general strike broke out im the early part of August of this year. Starting as a struggle for eco- nomic demands, the strike developed into a revolutionary political lever that drove Machado out of Cuba. In Oriente and Gamaguey, as well as in other provinces, the workers be- gan to seize sugar mills and set up embryo soviets. The revolutionary trade unions began to win leadership of the organized working masses. To- day the Cuban National Confedera- tion of Labor has leadership of 70 per cent of the organized workers. Weiles, and the American rulers of Ouba became alarmed, lest the revo- lutionary workers and peasants, feel- ing their power through the general strike, continue their revolutionary struggles to the point where impe- rialist domination is broken, a work- ers and peasants government estab- lished, and the agrarian anti-impe- vialist revolution achieved. Engineers Cespedes Rule Welles engineered the presidency of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, another Jackey of Yankee imperialism. Mean- while strike struggles increased. The toiling masses had taken up the of- tensive. In the army and marines, discontent was rife. The old Machado officers still were in control. A group of the landlord-capitalists of Cuba, Street’s table, and on the other hand, that the advance of the Communist following this riod that the letters published in the Worker today are most con- slimiest revolutionary demagogy. It dubbed itself as “revolutionario au- tentica”—genuinely revolutionist. It indulged in an orgy of revolutionary phrases. At the same time, it began ® ferocious attack against the revolu- tionary trade unions and the Com- munist Party. On Sept. 29, when » lemonstration was ar- MARTIN | ; him to try to do-more now, as he is DAILY WORKER, NEW YORK, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1938 9 vii ranged to bury the ashes of Julio Mella, one of the founders of the Cuban Communist Party, and @ vie- tim of Machado’s murderous Porris- tas, the Grau regime fired at the demonstrators, killing a member of the Young Pioneers, Scores of union leaders and strik- ers were arrested, jailed and tortured. ‘The Communist Party was forced into illegality. Still, Welles did not consider the Grau regime powerful enough to stop the rising wave of revolutionary struggle of the tolling MASONS, EB favored Batista. “Colonel Batis- ta,” he writes, “is reliable and shows a strong hand to put a stop to the situation of unrestricted class agitation which has existed in Cuba for weeks, However, he has only made a beginning, and it is not possible for not supported by the extreme radical Jement im the Grau San Martin gov- ernment in his endeavors.” Army He says that the main reason he | ii y supports Batista is that Batiste is the | most determined enemy of Commu- nism. The fact is, Batista was doing this little murderous service for the Grau regime. In the latter part of September, some 300 Machado officers moved into the National Hotel in Havana, just as Welles moyed out. With the support of Welles, they were prepar- ing a counter-revolution to oust the Grau-Batista regime, and establish one more desirable to Roosevelt, Welles and the American bankers. To obiain this regime which could more promptly “put a stop to the situa- tion of unrestricted class agitation,” Welles helped the Machado officers and the ABC plot an armed uprising. Defeat Officers i ‘The Grau regime. however, was able to defeat the Machado officers. Again the ABC attempted to seize power. They captured Atares Fortress in Havana. They were well armed and fimanced. Here we can see the con- nection between the Altares fortress uprising and Welles letter in which he says: . “*They (the landlord - capitalist groups opposing the Grau regime) had sufficient money or other means. whom Welles praises as enemy of Communism. Colonel Batista “ABOVE:—Cuban workers and students acclaiming revolutionists who execuied members of Machado’s Forrista, responsible for the slaughter of many workers, BELOW:—Welles riding with Roosevelt in Washington, Roosevelt approved all of Welles bloody deeds. Butcher Machado Welles is supporting the class for whom Machado ruled in Cuba, | the imperialists and Jandlord-capi- | talists. | If they had sufficient arms and am- munition, they would be adequately prepared to overthrow the present government. Not for an instant do they believe that our government is supporting in any way the present government, At the same time they know that @ revolutionary overthrow of the present regime would not bring intervention from us,” The Bankers’ Scheme Here we have the scheme of the whole diabolical maneuvers of the bloodthirsty American bankers, repre- sented by the Roosevelt regime and its agent Welles, in attempting to re- (The following is a translation from the Spanish of a-letter written by the recent U. S. Ambassador to Cuba, Sumner Welles. The letter has been printed in Havana news- papers. The articie accompanying this letter on this page of the Daily regime | Roosevelt. He favors paying the swol- establish another Machado regime. We know that the ABC counter-revo- lution finally did get sufficient arms and finances to begin an uprising. ‘Where ers they ote lang bs ef Fw nances, Mr. Welles? Isn't it a faci | Mr, Welles, that you informed them| 5... yg, “HAYAN#: Ont: 4 1998. | not only that you are not lending es i your “moral support” to the Grau} Your letter dated Sept. 26th was regime, but would use the whole pow- | 0f great interest to me. At the same er of American imperialism to help|'me I like your having addressed | the counter-revolutionists should they | Jour letter to me in the way you) 2 i pawns Referring to the sending of war- ships to Cuba, the way it was an- nounced by the Navy Department in Ww on Sept. 5-6, made a bad and unfortunate impression. If we had not sent the battleships to Cuba, in my opinion, a great many People would have heen killed, and, undoubtedly, among them would be @ great many Americans as well as other foreign citizens, pm nt From Sept. 5th on there not crushing the working class revolu-| existed in Cuba a government cap- tlonary movement. At the same time,| able of protecting property and life. he feels uneasy because of Grau’s left! colonel Batista is reliable and shows demagogy. But Grau is showing in|, strong hand to put a stop to the deeds that he is ® worthy successor | sttuation of unrestricted class agita- of Machado, He is mobilizing the Un-| tion which has existed in Cuba for employed on the demagogic demand| weeks. However, he has only made of 80 per cent Cubans in all places| 4 beginning, and it is not possible of employment, in order to split the| for him to try to do more now, as united front of the workers. He uses|he is not supported by the extreme the army without hesitation to shoot] and radical element in the Grau San down strikers. He is an implacable} Martin government in his endeavors. enemy of the Communist Party,| It is impossible for me to impress hounding and jailing its leaders. Graujon you too strongly and clearly the favors a capitalist-landlord concen-| fact that if U. S. warships were not tration government, to} sent to Cuban cities during the past the lives of American citi- Jen, Bane pnnbagat eros He|nens would have been sacrificed. Apparent Contradiction the guarantees they ask for. Tm such a situation, the apparent Worker gives the background of Wolles' acjs in Cuba from the Machado regime to the present | day.—EDITOR). i T= letter by Welles published in today’s Daily Worker is one of those rare documents that seldom fall into the hands of the workers show- maintain its colonial domination and exploitation. Welles’ criticism of the Grau regime is based mainly on its weakness in I Political blackmatl, are in Cuban waters, ready to a few hours notice. The has released hundreds Must demand: “Withdraw all Ameri- military assist-/can armed forces from Cuba! Hands off Cuba! Stop the shipment of am- ‘Yankee imperial- | munition and armed forces to Cuba! hopes to stave off the impending | 8: the workers and peasants agrarian anti-imperialist revolution in lutionary struggles! Defeat the common enemy, American imperial- American battleships and marines| ism!” ; Eyiee i \Plots With Counter-Revolution Welles’ Letter Gives Wall Street Secrets and Army Heads to Defeat Masses and Communist Party in my opinion, nor the capability of holding power. However, it is not my understand- ing that, the factions resisting the Grau San Martin regime have no misunderstanding of our purpose in keeping the warships in Cuba. , If they had sufficient money or other means, if they had sufficient arms and ammunition, they would be adequately prepared to overthrow the present government. Not Supporiing* Grau Not for an instant do they (that is, the A. B, C. and other counter revolutionary groups —- editor, Daily Worker) believe that our government is supporting in any way the present government. Ot the same time they know that a revolutionary overthrow of the present regime would not bring intervention from us. Throughout the island today the army is the only power and auth- ority, though it has no discipline and organization. When the army rebelled (that is, at the time Cespedes was ousted— editor, Daily Worker), the powerful opposition forces were greatly sur- prised; and the whole country was so utterly at the point of exhaus- tion, after the last years of Machado’s government, they did not have enough courage, force or determina- tion to remedy the intolerable con-, ditions now dominating the country. No Sugar Harvest Should the present situation con- tinue for any length of time there will be no Zafra (harvesting and grinding of sugar cane) this season, and I know you can appreciate what unprecedented suffering will follow throughout Cuba, with its cansequent unmanageable social chaos. Out of these ,intolerable circum- stances, there is only one issue, that a|is the urgent concentration of groups of the centre and of the left, with the co-operation of the leaders of the army to bring about a change in the regime, Grau San Martin has not the con- fidence of anybody. Should he con- tinue to rule, we have no hope that the present depression in foreign and in Cuban business interests can be remedied for some time. He has entirely lost control of the reqtdre~ ments in the present situation. Goyerns By Decrees His idea of governing is to issue decrees or laws, no matter how in- applicable or impossible of carrying out his decrees might be. His men- tality exhibits symptoms of indiges- tion because of his diet of such works as Mi ‘Das Kapital’ that he is given to quoting often. All the stable-minded people in Cuba, and this is most important, are cognizant of the fact that his (Grau’s) personal views and theories are of no great importance, consider- ing the fact that he is used as a puppet by members of the Student's Directory. Evidently you are not acquainted with any of ‘them personally... The members of the Student’s Directory, with possibly a few exceptions, are neither experienced or able enough, nor do they have sufficient practical understanding of scientifically gov- erning. A Conglomeration Besides, a@ number of them are pathological. Grau’s Cabinet is a peculiar conglomeration of ~some honorable and other incapable figures who took their jobs, because, on the one hand of their’ past years in- the students moyement (Costales Latatu is such), or because they were badly in need of a position (for example poor old Colonel Despaigne); or we might say, as in the case of the lower rate agitator, Dr. Guiteras, because they harbored the hope of controlling central positions to be able, when the time came for the overthrow of the present government, to put into power an extreme left group, In my description of the situation you will see the reasons why nothing constructive hes been achieved by anyone excenting the army during the last three weeks. The Army is Master Grau's orders are neither carried cut by the Cabinet nor the army. While the students controlled the situation at the inception of the goy- Cuban Anti-Imperialist Fighter Per be henlate snacpen doe noe, Organo Central de la Liga otic a Prvscalcl Ponta camo Carrepondencia te ha 1, 'Adelante, hacia {a Revolucion oraria-anti-imperialista Anti - Impertatista, de Cuba ane 8 la Adevinivtrsion de Carrma dla Hatin Official organ of the Anti-Imperialist League of Cuba that is print- ng Welles’ letter and exposing the role of yankee imperialism, ernment, they are beginning to feel | that the army is master, and that they are less able to resist this armed | force, against its efforts to dominate Cuba. There is a solution for the situa- | tion, if Colonel Batista is ready to} act, Decidedly he is opposed to Com- munism, and were he determined to maintain order, he would receive the support of the bu: Ss and banking | groups with a view to replacing the present regime with a government in whieh they can have more confidence. The A. B. C. friends, I believe, remain still, as they always have been, the spokesmen of the one force in Cuba which can save the country for the Cuban people. Menocal and Mendieta, and such | other old political heads, like Gomez, | no longer have prestige. The youth- | ful elements, the more progressive | ones, are seeking new leaders. | Should all the groups adopt the | solution I outlined there is a bare | opportunity to save the situation. | Fear and Apprehension | Not even in the blackest period of | Machado's govern-nent did more fear, | lack of courage and apprehensive- | ness exist than there does at the | present time. Safety of person and | of life does not exist. The life of | no one is secure as the atrocities | after the National Hot-1 fighting | ved, Which is an indication of the | ent views, In America the situation js not | fully appreciated. American news- | paper men have handled the situa- tion in a ght manner. They have treated what is a tragedy as a farce to give amusement to their readers. In this situation and for these reasons no matter how anxiously T would like to return to Washington. as much as I can appreciate the strength of your arguments, I be- lieve that I should stay here in Havana and do all I can. Forces for Intervention We have the powerful influence of American business men im Cuba, as well as the powerful force of the business and banking groups, Span- ish and Cuban, and we have the foreign governments who have in- terests here pressing for intervention Leaders of powerful political groups declare to me repeatedly that the) situation would be solved through in- | tervention. There are besides, the starving Cubans of the middle and lower classes who make intervention | the only solution. Besides all this, there are the tem- perate liberal and progressive Cuban leaders, many of whom are known to you, advising me in all earnestness | that intervention cannot be avoided. | Aside from aiding all I can, at the present time, ts to repeat that intervention will not come and if they want to rescue their country it is up to them, | There is. the impression that my | stimulus is acting as a tonic and | a major operation is the only solu- | tion. Accept ny thanks for your letter. | I wish I could possibly give you a} more encouraging picture though it | is better that you know the real | situation, | 1 Sincerely, Sumner Welles, Page Five Cuba Delegation To 4 Report Sunday Night At New Star Casino NEW YORK.—Two of the delegates of the Anti-Imper- ia League who went to Cuba are now in New York and will report at the mass meeting Sunday, December 17th at Star Casino, 107th and Park Avenue, on what the dele- gation saw and did in Cuba and the role of Wall Street im the island. Two other delegates, Henry cording to latest reports were in £ cipe Fortress, where they were jailed by the Grau regime. The Anti-Imperialist League has cabled Grau demanding airplane transportation to th delegates so that they can attend this meeting. An- other of the delegates, Walter Relis of the National Student's League is still in Havana, awaiting the release of the two imprisoned comrades. The delegates in New York are J. B. Matthews, of the League Against War and Fascism, and Harry Gannes, of the Anti-Imperialist League. Be sure to attend this meeting and learn the latest news on the revolutionary situation in Cuba. New She and Alfred Runge, Cuban Communist Party Is Inspiring Example toWorkers The meeting to be held Sunday evening at the New Star Casino for the returning Anti-Imperialist League delegation from Cuba is important to every Party member not only as a means of expressing solidarity with the struggle of the Cuban workers | tt Yankee imperialism, but as} tions. During the present revolutionary period, the Communist Party of Cuba has carried on an intensive recruit= ing campaign, increasing its mem- bership four-fold, The revolutionary trade unions have grown to a mem- bership of 150,000; the Anti-Imper- islist League has grown from a small organization to @ mass membership of 25,000. The Young Communist League now has a membership of close to 5,000. The delegates reporting this Sun- day night will provide a vivid picture of current struggles of the revolution- ary workers and peasants of Cuba under the leadership of our brother Party. E Every Party member should feel it his duty to bring as many of “his friends and shop-mates as possible to this meeting on Sunday, thus help- ing to organize mass protest against Yankee imperialism ready to crush the Cuban revolution. nm working class against f two American members lelegation by the Cuban goy-| in Havana. | periences of our brother Cuba ni in the midst of a tre mendous struggle. While the Cuban Party is engaged in great economic and political struggles, the Commun- |} ist Party of Cuba offers an inspiring example of the correct Bolshevik Policy of combining leadership in economic and political struggles with Mass recruiting into the ranks of the Party and revolutionary organiza- Trade Union Directory +++ BUILDING MAINTENANCK WORKERS UNION UNION OF Soviet Socialis: Republics 7% GOLD BONDS t P ble Qua The Chas: Ba ‘79 Broadway, New York City Gramercy 5-0857 CLEANERS, DYERS AND PRESSERS IN UNIO! 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Estabrook 8-1400 SPECIAL CAR SCHEDULES FOR XMAS WEEKEND Los Angeles, Calif. : Entertainment ; : Food : ; Games AT THE UNITED WORKERS PRESS BAZAAR FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY DEC.22. | -DEC.23 | DEC. 24 WORKERS CENTER = ALL FUNDS FOR Daiiy Worker : Western Worker : Morning Freiheit Working Woman : Hunger Fighter : Lucha Obrera Bargains : MONDAY OSES WALL STREET ARMED PLOTS IN CUBA. & Hear the Report of the Cuban Delegation Sunday at the New Star Casino \ we