CUBA, an island in the West Indies, the largest and most important of the Greater Antilles. From East to West the island has a length of more than 800 miles with an average width of 80 miles and the area including a number of small islands is over 44,500 square miles. The latest census estimate the population at more than 5,800,000. Of all the countries in the Western Hemisphere, Cuba stands out as one of the most interesting. It was the first land of importance discovered by Christopher Columbus and its natural beauties and ideal climate have been extolled ever since by those who have had occasion to come to this fascinating island.

The first settlements in Santiago and Trinidad were formed in 1524 and the present city of Havana was founded in 1519. The cultivation of sugar-cane and tobacco was early developed and with the income of large capital and superior skill from the motherland, Spain, made rapid progress, soon replenishing the coffers of Spain which had been drained by continuous foreign wars. The colony of Cuba was a seat of contention whenever Spain engaged in war with European countries. Havana was destroyed in 1534 and again in 1554 by the French. The Dutch captured in 1624 and became an English posses-ion in 1762.

As early as 1717, nearly two hundred years before they ended Spanish rule on the island, Cubans took up arms against Spaniards in protest against the mother country's plan to establish a tobacco monopoly in Cuba. Another revolutionary movement was started in 1823, but Spain supressed it before it became an important outbreak. In the mid 1830's Cuba revolted again and this time they established revolutionary juntas in the United States for the purpose of winning the symphaty and support of the Americans. Twenty years later another revolution, unsuccessful to he sure, broke out in the northern coast town of Cárdenas and among the belligerents were several hundred American sympathizers led by Narciso López. In this attempt was displayed for the first time a flag, which was created in the United States and became the national emblem since then. The following year, 1851, the people of Cuba declared their independence from Spain and engaged in two quick violant, but unsuccessful attempts to overthrow the Spanish regime. One of the great revolutions against Spain was inaugurated on October 1868 and it developed into. the now famous "Ten Years War". The movement was born on the Yara Plantation in Oriente Province and led by a wealthy patriot, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. Although the Cubans fought valiantly, they were greatly outnumbered by better-equiped fighting men and. then finally gave up in 1878. This war produced some brilliant Cuban military leaders and it was the same heroes who came back to the battlefields in 1895, organized under the leadership of the poet, orator, writer, José Marti, finally to defeat Spain and set the Cuban people free. The people of the United States manifested a decided feeling of friendship toward the patriots who were struggling for liberty as the early colonist had done in 1776. This occasioned a feeling of hatred on the part of the Spaniards against the United States, and culminated in the destruction of the American battleship "Maine", then in a visit to Havana by a submarine mine on February 15, 1898, in which 262 men and officers lost their lives. War was formally declared by the American government against Spain on April, 1898.

This action sped-up the victory of the Cuban Army who at that time were only three miles from Havana, the headquarters of the Spanish regime. The final decisive engagement of th[e] Spanish-Cuban-American War resulted in the destruction of Spain's Asiatic fleet at Manila, in the Phillipines and other Naval victory in Santiago Harbor in which was destroyed the strongest fleet of Spain by the American fleet.

The surrender of the remaining portion of the Spanish Army came after a combined attack of the Loma de San Juan by the Cuban and American forces who led to a brilliant victory over the Spanish troops and assured the birth of a new Republic in the American continent. That was the end of more than 200 years of struggle for liberty by the Cuban people.
 

Among the many convulsions striking the world at present, the struggle taking place in many Latin American countries stands out because of its painful course. This struggle unlike the fight in Algeria, is not against a foreign power, nor is it like Cyprus, against a decadent empire, much less like Hungry against a great invader, but perhaps it is more painful than those because it is a fight among brothers. The hate created can hardly be erased, and the passions, because they are common, are so large that there seems to be no end to such a sad situation. Many causes are at fault from the colonial heritage, people who came from Spain to conquer lands for their "King", and to get rich themselves; to the economical pressure of hungry people, tired by innumerable necessities, they all have contributed to set the stage for some ambitious and wicked natives who against the will of the majority, hold the power by force of bayonets ,and others quite as painful as this by the power of money. And some of these natives proud and conceited as were the Spanish conquerors who ussurped the lands in the name of their King, jumped over the fence of the law and imposed their power, quite often by calling themselves bright men and saviours.

This is the case of one of so many nations suffering under a retrograde man or Dictator, as he is called, and we wish to expose this as a denunciation to make the world know that the rivers of blood in which the island of Cuba is at present it is the result of the blind obstinacy of a man over a country who loves the law and justice.

It is necessary to go back to history to know the real facts and to judge in accordance. In 1952 the term of the President of Cuba, Dr. Carlos Prio Socarras, expired. As ordered by the Constitution, Dr. Frío Socarrás called for elections to elect the Head of State for the next four years. There were other political figures who aspired to the presidency, among them, Sr. Fulgencio Batista, who was then a Senator. When everything was prepared and being only three months before the elections, Sr. Batista, together with three of four Army officers, ambitious as he was, took advantage of certain indolence

on _the part- of -the government,–overthrew--the legally constituted government and what is still worse, he broke the constitution rights when he suspended the forthcoming elections and the change of presidents every four years as ordered by the Constitution. This is a brief history of facts. His act was of deep significance for the life of the country. Much blood spilled, much pain suffered by thousands of Cuban mothers. Such a coup could not have come at a more critical moment, just when the nation's life was being consolidated economically and especially when the political life was becoming normal after two consecutive democratic elections and a third one soon to take place. The various political parties were engaged in honest pre-electoral struggle, so wonderful to the sight when conducted within the law and with hope to win as it cannot be denied that a political struggle means energy and renovating forces for the nation. It was just at this moment when the legal life of the country is broken and the man appears, whip in hand ambitious in his heart, and who knows what other intentions to ruin and to destroy a happy country and to incite to a new and fruitless fight that we cannot tell where it will take us. Let us keep on exposing the facts. After usurpation was consumated, the military forces came into power with the help of a group of civilians, all known faces in the public opinion, the majority of them old friends of Batista, who had become rich at the time Batista was the strong man in 1933 after his first coup. None of these men could offer the country any possibility of a radical change, nor any rectification in the things the country needed and was anxious to get. These errors happen in all democracies, and especially in countries as young as Cuba. As a consecuence of the military regime installed, the people began to suffer the disturbances of the Army, who forgetting their duties as guardians of the people's liberty who are supporting them, they convert themselves in the transgressors of same. From that moment on, things in the nation began to worsten. It was up to the youth to start the protest, and to the student's organizations to follow up for action. The weight of the civil protest in this crusade rests with the University of Havana and under the leadership of the students organization : "Federación Estudiantil Universitaria".

Through all of Cuba's history, the University of Havana has been a never-ending fountain of leaders who have fought for liberty, either against foreigners or against the Cuban themselves when they have become dictators against their own countrymen. The list of students martyred is never ending, ever growing. Thousands of young men have been killed by the bullets of the paid killers, and the sunny streets of Havana hay been stained with blood of brave and young men, so at the present moment when the country is going through one of its worst dictatorships these youths could not fail to answer the call. Just three months after the coup d'etat, the police, evidently following superior orders, shot at a pacific and symbolic student demonstration, the only purpose of which was to try to place a wreath on the tomb of Julio Antonio Mella, a student leader murdered in Mexico by the paid-killers of another Dictator, named Gerardo Machado. The sad balance of this incident was one student killed and hundreds hospitalized. This event, undoubtedly, paid at a high price, marked the way to follow: to fight, since he who usurped power by force, only by force can can he be made to relinquish it.

At this moment, there appeared a number of good intentioned Cubans whose aim was to avoid days of mourning to the nation and tried to find a peaceful solution to the peril the country was going through. Among them, we wish to mention Dr. Cosme de la Torriente, an illustrious patriotic veteran of the Spanish-American War, a diplomat, who held many high posts outside of Cuba among which was that of Ambassador in the United States of America. This illustrious Cuban visited Batista on many occasions and was treated as a mere messenger of the opposition parties and being humiliated by the spokesmen of the regime without in the least realizing that he was doing nothing but trying to restore harmony to the nation for which he bravely fought during his younger days, being a General of real battles, had to stand for the disregard of an operatic General made overnight. He was profoundly shaken by this, as told by himself to many friends ,that undoubtedly hastened hiss death as a few weeks later, while trying to bring understanding among the Cuban family, he passed away.

Another mediation which was completely rejected by the Government was that of "Bloque Cubano de Prensa" (Cuban Press Block) an organization which included all printed and radioed press, the Director of which, on many occasions, tried to get in touch with Batista, whose answer given through an assistant was that "he will say the last word as to when and in what manner the Cuban problem was to be solved".

All the foregoing can easily be proven by referring to the local papers of those sad days.

There were also many others, well intentioned Cubans who tried to fight the regime from the legal point of view. Many lawyers raised the question of the unconstitutional nature of the regime with the hope that the Supreme Court would uphold the laws. But all efforts were unsuccessful as a result of the biased attitude of the magistrates toward the regime. They failed to see the sign of modern time and instead, mechanically, followed the ways of Roman Laws by giving Batista's coup d'etat the benefit of the concept that "revolutions bear rights! "What an absurdity to say that the use of tanks and soldiers to capture the Presidential Palace creates rights! The same argument was used by the Nazis when they occupied many nations in Europe and is being used by the Russians to set up governments in satellites nations! It is admitted that when a revolution is inspired by ideas of freedom and social justices and a program for the betterment of the people, its triumph will bring not just the downfall of a tyrannical government, but also the correction of wrongs that caused the latter to come into existence. It gives recognition to new rights that are incorporated into the juridical life of the nation. But it is a great mistake on the parts of the courts to charactize as Revolution the small disorders brought about by groups without definite plans or programs, bringing only a change in men and not in system.

In the face of all the failures of Justice in Cuba and with the purpose- of breaking ^gut of the impasse that ^–had set in, many tried find justice in world courts. Many denunciations of the violations of human rights in our fatherland were made before the United Nations, without that world organization not even once having made an effort to give due course to the justified complaints raised by a people who everyday sacrifice their lives, the same way Hungarians does in defense of their trampled liberties. One of the most important pleas to the United Nations was presented by Dr. Pelayo Cuervo Navarro, a man of great renown in Cuban jurisprudence. In this denunciation all deaths were listed with precious documents and photos accusing the government, and as all others complaints presented it was ignored by this organization.

However the impact on world opinion was tremendous and the brutal regime of Cuba was thoroughly exposed. The government could not forget Dr. Pelayo Cuervo's denunciation and taking advantage of the confussion provoked by the attack on the Presidential Palace, the paid-assassins of the regime assasinated savagely that illustrious Cuban. His dead body showed that he had been tortured first. This brutal killing shows with its horror what the government could do to suppress any protest that could arise against it, regardless of whether the fight is with the force of reason or the strength of arms.

Its mission is to frighten its opponents, irrespective of their rank of their prestige. Its only goal is to keep in power a group of men, the few who serve it and the soldiers who back it, the rest are under the threat of being kidnapped from their homes any morning and taken to the S. I. M. (Military Inteligence Service) to be tortured. This is the sad reality. A government, vicious from the beginning supported only by brutal force, has to use those methods to survive while it brings ruin and destruction to a country which will not surrender to such a fate.

There was nothing else to be done —it was either war or peace. If peace was chosen, it would only be a half-way peace, the threat of murder, kidnapping or at best the corporal punishment. In orther words, a peace without honor. The democratic feeling and the desire to live with liberty are precious things deeply rooted in the Cuban people, so they decided to fight. The thousand Cubans who are fighting have often been made to appear as delinquents and people lacking proper vision. WE want to point out to the world that the right to oppose and to resist against despotism has been recognized since ancient times by men of every doctrine and by men of all ideals and beliefs. The Declaration of Independence of th 13 original American colonies consecrated to these principles:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, desiring their just powers from the consent of the governed: that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new governmnt, laying and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safely and happiness. Prudence, indeed will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more desposed to suffer, while evils arc sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accoustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, IT IS THEIR RIGHT, IT IS THEIR DUTY, TO THROW OFF SUCH GOVERNMENT, AND TO PROVIDE NEW GUARDS FOR THEIR FUTURE SECURITY".

Later on, the French Declaration of Man's Rights passed on to future generation this principle when its states that : When the government violates the people's rights, the insurrection becomes the most sacred right, the most imperative duty. When someone restrains the people's sovereignty, he must be condemned to death by the free people".

To try to ignore those who are fighting against the despotic government suffered by Cuba calling them a pack of gangsters and many other as insulting adjectives has been the work of the present government, nevertheless, history will in due course bring out the truth to light as against those who in order to secure good positions become the hatchetmen of a hideous and shameful regime. The so called delinquents are doing nothing but exercising a consecrated right to oppose despotism. This is a right recognized by the Cuban law and upheld in Article 40 of the Constitution.

The ever increasing despotism, the behavior of the army, and the deep feeling of Cubans for liberty, were forces to send thm to fight for their rights. The disagreement became common and where every way out for a national absolution was closed, it became apparent that it was necessary to oppose force by force and as in the year 1895 the Cubans became united and made themselves ready for the fight.

Many are of the opinion that it is a madness to fight against Batista's modern and well equipped army, but in so thinking they forget the lessons that history teaches. Against the will of the people, no army however strong can succeed. In 1895 many also called José Martí a madman, as Spain at that time had a powerful army and Martí's accomplishments seemed to be a suicidal task. However, we all know hat happened. Martí organized an army perhaps weaker than the Spanish one, but with more moral and fighting spirit. This army made an invasion from east to west, brought the war to all places and put the Cuban forces at only five miles from Havana. This was the end of the Spanish empire in the New World, and th birth of a new republic on the American Continent. When American reporters asked Fidel Castro how it was possible that he with only a few followers could maintain in constant struggle the Cuban army, he replied : "It is not the same to fight for liberty than against liberty".

There has been much talk about the actual leader of the Cuban revolt. His name is known in the whole world. The American people know about him from the interviews made in the Sierra Maestra by Mr. Herbert L. Matthews, reporter of The New York Times and Mr. Robert Tabor, from C.B.S. newsreel who made a series of reports on this Cuban leader. But it is necessary to make some biographical notes of him to be known better his constant struggle in favor of Cuba.

Fidel Castro comes from a middle class family which owned land in Oriente Province .His father, a vigorous man, used to the country life and work, brought up a family and very early taught it the love for the country and for honest work. When Fidel Castro finished High School, old man Castro decided that in view of his son's the career that would fit him properly, so he was sent to Havana Uni- talent for leadership and his inclination for history, law was to be versity.

He arrived in Havana at a critical moment. Dr. Grau San Martin had been elected President, the people of Cuba had great hopes in Grau and expected many good things from him. Early after his enrollment at the University of Havana, Castro began to participate in the political atmosphere and to hold prominent positions within the students' organization, F. E. U.

Grau San Martin finished his four year period as president. The people had elected him in the hope that he was the man to right all wrongs, but he completely failed them and his government, although successful in institutional matters, was characterized by a great weakness in administration and the robbery of the State's funds was a common occurance, during his presidency.

Because of the above situation, Eduardo R. Chibas broke away from Dr. Grau and began to attack him for his weakness toward those who made use of the government to become rich.

Immediately Fidel Castro joined forces with Chibas and got a start in the political life of the nation.

At the end of Grau's four years, elections were to be held, and it was at this moment that Chibas and his followers of the Orthodox Party started one of the most vigorous political campaigns of modern times. Dr. Frío had the government's unconditional support for the nomination, therefore, the advantage to be supported by the political party in power. However, due to the geniality of Chibás, in a few months he organized the Orthodox Party and although he did not win the elections he received a fantastic number of votes and from that moment on, no one doubted that Chibas was the new leader Cuba needed. Chiba's love for his country was so great that while Dr. Frio was President, in one of his radio broadcasts, after making a patriotic speech, full of advice for the Cuban people, he drew a pistol and in spite of the efforts made by those present, to prevent it, he shot himself and died some days afterward. His last words: "Let this be my last call to the Cuban people". This was the man at whose side Fidel Castro had been working for the elections that were soon to take place to elect Dr. Prío's successor, when Batista rose to power in the political platform to stab the heart of the democratic institutions.

What occurs next, we all know. Fidel Castro, like many cubans, cannot accept the imposition of a man over his people, and as soon as he had his law degree from-the University of Havana, $ecides that this is of no importance in a regime that does not respect them and that he will have to postpone his natural desire of opening his law office for which he had sacrificed not only studying day by day, but also his father's whose only ambition was to see his son make a living in a decent and honorable profession. Fidel Castro's wish was only to serve Cuba instead of avail himself of the Cuban's service. Knowing that the only solution for Cuba was to fight with arms he started by organizing a movement with the only object of being against Batista and to fight against his regime. Who was one of Eduardo Chibas' disciple could not do less. Chibás killed himself in front of a microphone as an example for the citizens and now that the country needed the courage of its sons, lie remembered Chibas, a humble and brave man who was showing the way and if he were alive, he would he fighting for the freedom of his country. This movement which later would be identified by the name of July 26th, was created by Fidel Castro with a group of idealists and brave young men being the first ones that dared to oppose the dictator with arms in a formal battle. Thus, in the same country where he was born, he and his men made a heroic gesture when they tried to seize with arms the second military post of importance in Cuba, the "Guillermo Moncada" Fort in Santiago de Cuba, and they nearly succeded, and as it was made in July 26, 1953, it gave motive for the people to call this heroic group as the brave men of the July 26th. Since then, it was born for posterity the July 26th Movement.

After the frustrated attack on the Fort Moncada, Fidel Castro was captured near Sierra Maestra and later on was tried and sentenced to prison. Later, and due to political pressure from public opinion, Batista decreed an amnesty freeing the political prisoners with the intention of creating an atmosphere of confidence on the opinion of the country for the coming elections that he was planning. Castro already on the street, was victim of persecution by the armed forces, making it impossible for him to live in hie country, and, therefore emigrated to Mexico. In this country he started his program for the 26th of July Movement that we will refer to further.

In Mexico and due to the continued violations of the law, and to the innumerable crimes commited against many persons, of the opposition, he reaffirmed the thesis of the July 26th Movement, to fight with arms against the regime and after many vicissitudes Fidel Castro began to fight again along with a group of heroes who joined him in Mexico and he landed on the coast of Oriente Province to re-initiate the battle for dignity. On many occasions the regime announced Castro's death. It was necessary that the veteran correspondent of The New York Times, Mr. Herbert L. Matthews, ventured through the selvatic zone of the Sierra Maestra to bring one of the most sensational reports of the year. In this manner, the reporter could affirm the ideals and courage of those men who represented the promise for the future of Cuba. From that interesting report, we quote this paragraph which was publishd in the February 25th, 1957 edition of the New York Times:

"The dictator has lost the young generation of Cuba. The group of young rebels, led by a former law student, Fidel Castro, that dominates the Sierra Maestra at the Eastern end of the island and that is fighting off successfully the cream of General Batista's army is only one element, the most dramatic one— to prove this".

We all know how the government reacted on this report. The New York Times reporter was insulted and many government people said that this was a report "made in U.S.A.", and that Mr. Matthews never went to Cuba. Months later, another two valiant American reporters, Mr. Robert Tabor and Mr. Wendell L. Hoffman, risked their lives in order to go to the Sierra Maestra and contact the rebel forces with the purpose of persuading to return home three brave American youngsters that had embraced the cause of the Cuban people. Also, from that report (which Batista could not deny as it was totally filmed and televised) there are acknowledgements of sympathy for the rebels of Sierra Maestra:

Mr. Tabor declared : "If these youngsters die, probably the healthier and best of Cuba is dissappearing". And for the happiness of the homes of these American youngsters and due to the insistence of Fidel Castro, two of them, under age, returned, and the other named Charles Ryan remained with the rebels. When Mr. Tabor left, Ryan with tears in his eyes said : "I imagine this fight is for the kind of ideals for which the United States is fighting for"; and started to cry. More than a thousand people have died for this cause. The desperation of this good and noble country is so great that the anguished mothers of so many young men assasinated have marched by the arms on the streets of Havana and Santiago de Cuba singing the National Anthem and praying that the killing of brothers against brothers would cease.

But the ones who have the power in their hands do not want to do it. You can only get promises and false arrangements.

As a measure to delay the situation after the attack to the Presidential Palace, the regime has called elections in 1958, in these elections only the corruptive polititians and those anxious to reach the power would participate, but the true representation of the country, the rebels of Sierra Maestra and the best political men of the opposition will not take part as they know this is only a half solution and a way to gain time. In the interview that Mr. Tabor made of Fidel Castro, Tabor asked him what conditions he would put to return the country to normality, and Castro replied:

"A neutral government, Constitutional rights of 1940 in effect, and free elections in which people can express freely their own opinion".

Being that so simple, it is too much to ask of the Batista regime. To ask a regime to give back the laws that in a morning were usurpped? To ask that the neutral government as it could be the Supreme Court of Justice or a group of impartial citizens preside over free elections? The actual regime is against this. He knows that the Cuban public does not agree with his methods and he is scared to confront them. Yes, because no one has ever though, although he has done wrong, to deny the right to which Mr. Batista aspired. But, of course, he should aspire without tanks and machine guns. Without deaths or "short walks'' We would like to see that, if would be very interesting, and once and for all show how the great majority of the people think. But Batista is allergic to free determination, to free vote for the Constitution. Batista would leave when defeated and while this does not happen, he would not care for the mothers who have marched on the streets like ghosts thinking to find around the corner their lost son, nor the abandoned wife that would not ever see the one that was her mate, and this also is applied to the family of the soldiers that at the end are the ones who have more to suffer as they have been used as a medium for the sinisters accomplished.

In many instances, the regime had tried to accuse the rebels of Sierra Maestra of being allied with the Communists. With that tactic they try to convince the American public opinion that the triumph of the July 26th movement would represent the triumph of the Communists, but the American public opinion is not so easy to deceive as they had thought but above this ideology that the members of the July 26th could have they rise their nationalism which nobody had tried to deny. In a country where the unemployment is a cronic thing, where the land is in hands of a few, where the farmer is exploited, where the workers are not paid accordingly with the standard of living and with proportion to the profits of the large companies, where the public employes are subject to dismissal in any change of Ministry, where all these things happen, any party or group that fights for Cuba, in truth, has to succede in making it better. These are plain truths: 85% of the smaller Cuban farmers are paying rent for the land they have farmed, and are subject to vacate same. Every year thousands of Cubans reach the age of 18, wishing to work and make a decent life without any hope, because the country has not the facility of production and of work in which to employ that potential energy. Yearly thousands of Cubans have migrate and leave their families brcause they cannot make a living in the land were they were born, and where they would like to die. While this happens, the corruptive polititians are made millionaires over-night and they invest their fortunes most of the time in foreign countries, taking out in that way the money that belongs to the people and helping to empoverish the economy of the country.

The entire effort of the July 26th Movement are directed toward the solution of the wrongs. The problem of the land, the problem of industrialization, the problem of housing, the problem of unemployment, the problem of health, have to be bases of a true reform movement. Since the July 26th Movement has adopted these points as a platform for victory, the reactionary elements and militaristic groups have become genuinely alarmed. Because we wish to break out of the archaic political patterns, the July 26th Movement is accused of being Communistic. We believe firmly that a healthy people, a happy people, are invulnerable to the doctrine of Communism, which takes advantage of precisely the above circumstances to establish its agitators. Free peopel means free institutions. A subjugated people under law determined by a group at their convenience— is a desperate people and easy prey to Communist agitation. Where there is poverty and injustice, the seeds of Communism germinate and flourish. It is necessary to speak clearly about this problem. The international American policy with respect to Latin American has always been directed toward giving moral and material support to military dictators who have usurped power under the guise of being an anti-Communist. It is generally believed by the American government that a single strong-man can fight better against Communist infiltration than a Democratic government. We sincerely believe that this a grave error. The people of Latin America hate every class of imposition and desire equality as much as the people of the United States.

In spite of the suffering of our countries under the Spanish "Conquistadores" which we discussed earlier and which evolved later into national leader-worship, perhaps the closeness of our North. American neighbors and their struggle for civil liberties and presently brought them to combat the feudalism on which they were founded. Great men like Simon Bolivar, Sucre, San Martin, Jose Marti, el Padre Hidalgo, Benito Juarez, Sarmiento, etc., etc., are examples of our early beginnings in the struggle for liberty. These men are an example of our profound and total belief in the democratic form of life. Oppression in whatever form generates a hostile sentiment against the oppressor and when this oppressor received honors —and more shameful, even arms— this sentiment is logically extended to those who help the oppressor. We believe it necessary to reproduce part of the work of the great journalist Matthews who, with much wisdom, in his report from the Sierra. Maestra (published in The New York Times, February 26th, 1957) said concerning this matter:

"There is also bitter criticism in Cuba, as in all Latin American dictatorships, over the sale of United States arms. While I was there, seven tanks were delivered in a ceremony headed by Ambassador Gardner. Every Cuban I spoke with saw the delivery of arms furnished to General Batista for use in bolstering his regime and for use "against the Cuban people". An appeal in English was circulated in Santiago de Cuba during my visit "To the People of the United States from the People of Cuba". We do not wish to harbor resentment against you, our good neighbors of the North", is said, "But do give us your understanding and fairness when considering our crisis".

An the courageous representative Porter (D. Ore.) in his speech delivered in New York City on the first anniversary of th kidnapping of Professor Galindez, said:

"I can only conclude that the Department of State is determined to pursue his policy of conciliating tyrants such as Trujillo, Batista, Franco, and others under the mistaken assumption their military aid is indispensable in the fight against international Communism. Our moral stature in the eves of the oppressed people in these dictatorships is of far greater significance".

Judge objectively this unpleasant matter. The United States tries to stop Communist infiltration in Latin America by arming and providing the instruments of war to strong-men. As a result, these oppressed people feel themselves to be victims not only of the oppressor but also of the nation whose role of Champion of Democracy is supposed to respect public opinion. How can you explain the paradox of fighting on - far away fronts to maintain the democratic system of life in your own backyard and help those who destroy it next door, In our lands we rejoice that the conscience of the American public is being awakened to these painful matters. We have faith that you will rectify this political malady. When shipments of arms to illegitimate governments ceases which does not augment hemispheric defense as it is supposed to but rather is utilized as a means of maintaining power, then it will be very difficult for these dictators to keep the positions they occupy and what would be healthier and more constructive for Latin America, cease to usurp governments illegally. When this happens, democratic governments will flourish in a strong, healthy undestructible bulwark against any subversive doctrine. Learning true democracy is the medicine our people need. If some have failed, it is the natural reaction to a system that has yet to realize two fundamental elements of success: the civic education of the people over a period of years and the economic elevation of the people from their low living standards. What do our people want from the United States? Only NEUTRALITY. We want to resolve our own problems and at least have the hope that group ruling against the wishes of the people will not be armed. When aid of this kind ceases, it will be impossible for the ambitious to take the field under cover of the night and overthrow legally constituted governments in order to proclaim themselves saviours of the land and begin a personal regime which tramples the law underfoot and dispossesses the precious rights of a sovereign people. If the July 26th Movement has from the beginning used force as a method of achievement, it is not as many have tried to make world opinion believe, a means of taking advantage of confusion for the realization of illegitimate ambitions. The July 26th Movement is not composed of paid killers or mercenaries. Its organization includes representatives from every sector of Cuban life, the majority being students and workers, and also numbers of foreigners who recognizing the cause of justice for which they are fighting have not hesitated to give their support and their lives for this ideal. Their leader has dedicated his own life sharing the hardships and living the same life of peril as any of his soldiers. No one can doubt such heroism and valor. In Cuba, a sincere movement has arisen which does not falsely proclaim revolution but carries it out valiantly. Those who bury their dead each day do not harbor selfish interests, and should they emerge victorious at the end of their struggle, at the return to normality, we will find in these valiant men a great promise of guidance for our country, so need of men of good will who are ready to work honestly. For those who have fought heroically to reestablish the nation's laws cannot betray them. The world salutes these modern crusaders who, together with the Algerians, the Cypriots and the Hungarians are writing one of the most beautiful pages of 20th Century history. Should they die for their ideal, one would repeat the memorable words spoken by Abraham Lincoln when referring to another group of heroes... "That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth".

Scanned by Walter Lippmann from the original pamphlet, April 2008.
All spelling and other errors left as in the original.

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