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SOCIALISM CROSSES
THE ATLANTIC

By LESLIE MORRIS

HE great turning point-of the Cuban revolution was the
Declaration of Havana of Sept. 2, 1960, which the Pacific

Tribune published shortly thereafter. Readers may remember
that great historic human document.

The Cuban revolution was declared to be a revolution for
the poor, not the rich Cuban capitalists. It was a “revolution of
the humble, by the humble, for the humble’”’. ?

‘ The abolition of the exploitation of man by man, for private
profit, was declared to be one of the aims of the Cuban revo-
lution.

Those who are interested in the development of Fidel
Castro and his colleagues, young people, all of them, who are
his conscience of the revolution, should compare the ideas Fidel
expounded in his magnificent speech before the Batista court
in September, 1956 (“History Will Absolve Me!’’), and those in
the. Havana Declaration. You will see that the 1956 ideas are
all contained in the Declaration, but that in the latter they are
ed rounded out as a result of the experiences in the revolution
itself.

; * x ee

‘HE Cuban right wing abandoned the revolution. Many of
them fled to the U.S:A. and some are engaged in the hope-

mart pitiful task of organizing the “‘new’’ Cuban’ government

on U.S. territory, paid for by the Central Intelligence Agency.
Others were in ,the invading forces which the Cuban people
smashed in 30 hours in mid-April.

' The Castro government, with the fullest and active support
of the Popular Socialist Party (the Communists of Cuba), the
Cuban Confederation of Labor (cleansed of its opportunist
leaders), the united peasants’ organization, the single, unified
women’s and youth organizations, the Rebel Army and the
300,000-strong workers’ and peasants’ militia, moved unitedly
against the Cuban capitalists.

; * * ES
‘gN the fall of 1960 the nationalizing of the big Cuban capitalist
properties began, with some compensation in cases where
the owners were not engaged in active counter-revolution.

The workers in the unions, in collaboration with the econ-
omic organs of the government, began to administer production
in the factories and mills.

The big stores were made national property, and now the
private schools.

‘ In the countryside, a vast movement of cooperative farming
swept through the villages.

In Cuba, it must be pointed out, because agriculture in the
‘past was mainly devoted to growing industrial crops like sugar,
tobacco and hemp, there were more agricultural workers in the
countryside than there were peasants—600,000 wage-workers
{in the past unemployed for four months out of 12) as against
130,000 heads of peasant households.

- When the land was taken from the landlords, the agricul-
tural wage-workers did not become individual small producers,
but chose to remain as workers on the land, and to join in
cooperatives and state farms.

Cooperative farming, and state farming, which are up-
‘rooting the crippling one-crop system (sugar cane) in favor of
modern diversified farming, have advanced more rapidly in
(Cuba than anywhere else in the world. All the conditions of
Cuban life favored this, especially the preponderance of wage-
‘labor im agriculture.

- There are 326 state farms employing 96,000 workers, and
,62) sugar cane co-op fanegs, employing 200,000. workers.

~ *

OW 70 percent of the industrial production in Cuba comes
from nationalized factories, formerly foreign-owned and

‘Cuban capitalist properties. The other 30 percent is accounted
for by small industry and workshops, which perform a useful
‘function, and which slowly and voluntarily will take the path
of cooperation.

: Foreign and domestic trade are fully controlled by the
“government.

: Industrial and agricultural commissions are planning the
industrialization of Cuba and the modernization of its farming
technique.

_ The technical revolution, necessary to build a modern,
efficient socialist economy, requires a cultural revolution. Cuba
is going through such a mental transformation. This is Educa-
tion Year. One hundred thousand volunteer teachers, mostly
young men and women, are liquidating illiteracy this year.

The great, help given by the socialist countries is joyfully
‘welcomed by the Cuban people. New factories are being built,
technicians are being trained, Cuba’s economic face is changing.
; - Wast-housing programs are wiping out the hideous slums.
/ . New socialist forms of the state are being developed and
later this year the people will adopt a Socialist Constitution

ie “ed elections—to put the stamp of approval on what they
ave done.

: * % * 5
Saas the national liberation to the secial; socialist revolution,

that is the path Cuba is treading: Its people are filled
with high elan, The defeat of the invaders brought them great

joy and immeasurable happiness and self-confidence.
* * oh

CO; socialism has crossed the Atlantic. It will not stop at
€uba: It is a world-wide phenomenon of social change.

We in Canada are now living not far from a western, American

socialist’ revolution.

Rich now like museum pieces

By HENNING SORENSEN

HAVANA — You curse the
heat in this place, and still one
seems to have more energy
here than in other places.
When it really gets me I take
refuge im the air-conditioned
lobby of the “Habana Libre”
(formerly the Hilton Hotel) or
the ‘‘Riviera.”

One thing about these
American-built hotels — they
are proving very useful to the
revolution. Workers and farm-
ers coming to this city for
some purpose are lodged there
and, believe me, it’s an im-
provement on what they were
used to.

At the “Riviera’’, the casino
is still going and here you can
see members of the rich set
who haven’t left yet. They
can’t take their money out of
the country, so they gamble—
and the rake-off doesn’t. go to
Chicago gangsters any longer
but to the revolution.

Frankly, these ladies and
gentlemen look like musem

pieces. I must say this govern-' people, etc., men and women,

ment is generous and under-
standing towards its enemies.

So are the Cuban people.
Never have I heard a Cuban
say he hated Americans. They
always make a distinction be-
tween the ruling class and the
people.

Now, I suppose it would not
flatter the average American
to hear that he is quite a good;
fellow but politically undevel-!
oped, with a completely false,
picture of the world due to
the lies pouring out of press,
television and radio. So, he is
rather to be sympathized with. |
But that is exactly what Cu-'

‘bans think.

I, myself, am often taken!
for an American, but as they,
say: “You would not be here
now if you were not a friend
of Cuba.”

Last Sunday I went out with
the -vvolunteers to cut sugar
cane. Every weekend hund-
reds and hundreds of trucks,
loaded with factory workers,
office employees, professional

ee

Cubans are now masters in their own home. This picture
shows one of the sugar refining plants taken over by the
people. They no longer work for capitalists but for them-
selves and their country.

Canadian Communists protest
Assassination of Arab leader

A letter vigorously protesting against the recent assas-
sination of the Lebanese patriot and Communist leader,
Farajallah Helou, was last week sent to President Nasser of
the United Arab Republic from the national executive com-
mittee of the Communist Party of Canada. : ;

~ Helou was fortured to death in a Syrian jail, where he
had been held without trial. _

The letter to Nasser reads in part: ;

“This crime against humanity will do great harm to
the cause of Arab freedom and independence, and is a blot
on the record of your government. :

“We join with friends of the Arab people everywhere
in demanding that your government at once permit a public’
investigation of the death of Farajallah Helou by competent
world authorities, and that you invite such a commitiee tc
be formed and to visit Syria to ascertain the truth and pro-'
claim it to the world. :

_ “We urge you to do this, and at the same fime cease the
| persecution of Communists in your country.”

says Vancouver man in Cuba

leave the city for the ™%
fields, so the harvest ca]
completed. :
Believe me, it’s hard ™
but I am: kind of prow
my blisters. ;
Then again, it’s a wondd
experience. First of ally
Cuban countryside is ™
ibly lovely. And how
the soil ist Back in Vane?
a friend told me evéeMy
fence posts sprouted bIé™

and of course I thought

was just a bit over-enth™
tic. But it is the truth.? jf |
get a picture of thal "|
time. —
You bring your own f0
these trips. Ig the farm
to feed all these pe
wouldn’t be helping them
the people’s harvest ~
zafra del pueplo—and PF
me, that is exactly the
they feel about it; they
mind if they are going "|
dead beat on Monday-
Indeed the way the
conscience is. now devé
in this island is one %
most inspiring things: “aj

sO"

bajo, libro, fusil” — 10

book, gun” — is the * 9g
and they are going at i '
great gusto, ever cons¢l? iif

them. i’
The other night I near dl

4 Spanish Republican ii

Lister speak. Ernesto Guy

introduced him. at
Incidentally, this ATe® f
born genius is loved by p
Cubans, who: have give? ol
the nickname “Che.” ©
doctor, then a_brillia™
tegist in the war agai”
tista, then minister of *
now minister of indust™
bearded, blackeyed the
most unassuming, 14”
character. Said “Che”:
“Whenever we ne
moments of desponden’
have thought of Spain
war against the fascs
have thought of Guat
and we have advanced ©
on the first of May oa
we were able to procla
revolution the first °
revolution in America =,
The Spanish Republi¢
was unfolded and ie
of the Spanish Republi
ed. ‘To anybody who ; a
Spain during that W2”
was a moving moment
was to “Carlos,” Ree
commandment of the ©.
ment during the ate
Madrid, for he wa —
audience too. «fs
“Spain,” said Liste? Fi
regime built on the © 9
a million dead, a Tg
hunger and torture,
that has given the belo
perialists. bases for
clear weapons.”

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Be TS

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‘June 30, 1961—PACIFIC TRISUNE

1

the year of education

the fact the world is wa” |