| Show Round Merry By DREW PEARSON and ROBERT S. S ALLEN WASHINGTON The The state department debated de debated debated de de- de bated a I long ng long time before inviting Colonel Batista dictator of Cuba to visit the United States There were two big reasons for hesitancy f before offering him American hospitality One was that he is a dictator and arid Roosevelt is trying trying trying try try- ing to dissuade not encourage the dictator disease disease disease dis dis- dis- dis ease in the Americas Second was that Batista has thwarted a good many American moves in Cuba has tolerated if not been a party to in intermittent intermittent intermittent in in- reigns of terror However there was one surpassing reason for doing business business' with him namely that Cuba rapidly is going the way of radical Mexico and there is no one else in Cuba to do business with The C Cuban ban situation is worth serious attention attention attention atten atten- tion not only because it is at our side door but because it is typical of what is ls happening to tos s some me other Pan-American Pan ne neighbors Cuban Hoovers When Roosevelt came into office Cuba had been ruled for eight years by a lot of Herbert Hoovers well meaning well meaning capitalists interested only in dividends and not equal to economic emergencies Behind them was the dictator Machado S Roosevelt and Sumner Welles then ambassador ambassador ambassador ambas ambas- to Cuba decided to let political events take their course They smiled on the idea of revolution It came It came with full force bringing with it a tidal wave of needed long-needed social and economic reforms Batista was the army sergeant who backed the revolution Dr Grau Gra San Martin was his front man in the presidential palace This however was not as the state department department department depart depart- ment planned it so Ambassador Welles tried to stem the tide Welles now undersecretary of state is is 95 per cent right on Pan- Pan merican affairs is the the scenes man responsible for Roosevelt's Roosevelt's Roosevelt's Roose Roose- velt's highly successful good neighbor policy In this case however he was wrong He tried to turn back the clock of revolution with the result that he turned it back too far Back into office once more came virtually the old gang This time they were Cool- Cool instead of Hoovers Their personality was more pleasing Batista remained in control of the military but kept out of politics Radicalism Again But now after the United States has given sugar tariff concessions Import Export bank loans and a trade treaty treaty all all without improving improving improving ing Cubas Cuba's economic status the status the old radical aim of the Grau San Martin days has returned There are proposals to divide up the vast sugar plantations plantations plantations plan plan- owned by the National City bank and the big sugar refiners There are proposals to scale down or remove the mortgages of American Ameri Amen can bankers on Cuban property This time Batista has come out of his tent once again is siding with the radicals To find out what he wants perhaps head off his radicalism the state department has invited him to Washington Whether it turns back the clock of revolution again remains to be seen Some day what is happening in Mexico is is' goS going going go go- S ing to happen in Cuba The state departments department's only choice is to usher it in gradually Dies In Dutch Martin Dies has been having a basking in the limelight as a result of his wrangle with the White House but down in the Texans Texan's district his antics have stirred no enthusiastic enthusiastic enthusiastic en en- applause Officials and business men trying to woo federal funds for local projects are very sore at him They are scared stiff that his row with the administration will cost them dear A delegation delegation dele dele- gation of them is iii in Washington to wangle the additional money and they do not conceal their resentment of Dies Mayor William Lea of Orange Texas bluntly told the congressman to pipe down if he wanted to keep his seat Dies Dies' district is after PW A funds for two projects one a c causeway at Port Arthur the theother theother theother other a dam The causeway was approved and granted but the project w was s stalled when the local bridge authority suddenly asked for a loan in addition to the grant PW A lawyers pointed out that under Texas law the authority had no power power to borrow money and new legislation was necessary The authority promised to get the state legIslature legislature leg leg- to amend the law and agreed to earmark the until that was done But w with th Dies taking raps rap at Roosevelt and Ickes authority members are are fearful that since other communities are clamoring for funds the loan will not be held for them and they will be out of luck S The dam project is still in the formative stage An authority was set up to build it and local business men raised to promote the plan Now they see this investment liable to togo go up in thin air and they are putting the blame squarely on Dies Copyright 1938 1933 for The Telegram |
