ee ee

BY AL KING

from the air is of a low- lying island, quite narrow and elongated, lying generally in a northwesterly to south-east- ery direction: One somehow gains the impression of a tur- bulent and throbbing excite- ment, particularly noticeable when compared to the tempo of Mexico.

When the Mexicana Airlines aircraft touched down at the

ultra-modern air terminal at}

Havana City, it was to the strains of a guitar-playing,

_ drum-tapping rhythm of a wel-

coming band that was ceértain- ly pleasing to the ear.

Many detrimental things have been printed about Cuba and read by-a complacent public that perforce accepted this, since no other medium of information was available, but the following will briefly set out some of the most: glaring inconsistencies between what I had previousy read in the pages of the daily press and what I found to be the actual situation in Cuba.

THE PEOPLE

It has been stated that the people were chafing under the heel of a new dictator and that in the matter of a short time further insurrections would take place and_ that Fidel Castro and his govern- ment would be vanquished.

The bulk of the people in my opinion, are happy under Fidel Castro’s administration and the reasons why this is so are in evidence for all to see. Furthermore, the peoples’ militia is probably the first of its kind in the world in con- temporary history at least, where the ordinary people of the country have been given arms and ammunition. Surely anyone fearful of the peoples’

.

’ displeasure would be extreme-

ly reluctant to take such a chance as this. ~

On the other hand, with but one single exception, I found the people to be deeply .con- scious of the role they were playing in revolutionizing the lives of the Cuban peoples. The abolition of unemploy- ment, extreme poverty, dis- ease; and ignorance are not just words here. They are ac-

-.,tuaHy taking place before the

eyes of the world. THE CHURCH The Catholic Church, among,

HE first sight of Cuba

First impressions

of Cuba

seats of learning for the masses

This article by Al King, Sec.-Treas. of the “Western: Dis- trict of Mine Mill recently appeared, in the union paper, the Herald. King visited Cuba with other trade unionisis at

the time of the celebrations of)

the July 28° Movenient. —

others, appears to be function- ing normally and I saw sev- eral well-filled churches on the one Sabbath that I was in Havana. Indeed, it is a matter of record that several mem- bers of the Catholic priesthood accompanied the rebel leaders in the Sierra Maestra and des- pite the well-publicized exodus of certain leaders of the Cath- olic Church, a great many of the remaining clergy are in support of what the Castro ad- ministration is doing.

Furthermore, Canadian dele- gates were quite surprised to find members of the Mehtodist faith in Cuba, among others, but in every case it was em- phasized that these people were for Cuba first and their religious beliefs are a separ- ate matter altogether, and therefore there should be no conflict between them; nor is there at the present time, to all outward appearances at least.

THE ADMINISTRATION

The affairs of Cuba are being regulated by a- Council of Ministers and Area Repre- sentatives, and it is an obvious fact that most of these are tested and true supporters of the revolutionary struggle. There are, of course, technical and professional experts em- ployed by the government and that this administration is most effective is attested to by the progress already mentioned.

The terrific housing develop- ment and construction pro- gram is also an eye-opener to the newcomer to Cuba and from Fidel Castro right down to the last echelon of govern- ment, there seems to be a vig- orous attack on all of the prob- lems facing the Cuban people:

‘EDUCATION

Education, from kindergar- ten to a master’s degree in Havana University, is now free, absolutely free to the people of Cuba. Most of the old army fortresses from which Batista and other butchers isolated and murder- ed the people from time: to time, has been converted. into

Cuban’ women are playing a big'role in’ the Cuban Revolu- + tion. Photo shows women milita instructors.” —

-sorts of rich American tourists: ‘and the’ privileged’ classes of}.

appointed area’ and’ few’ on-

Even the Moncada fortress in Santiago De Cuba _ against which in 1953 Fidel Castro lea

his’ pitifully small revolution-|: ary group in an abortive effortl.

to seize arms, has been con- verted and is now an excellent functioning school students. Racial segre- gation is now, of course, a thing of the past in Cuba. For the first time in Cuban history, all of the children go- ing to school now wear shoes, and the worms that used to invade their tender feet and suck the life from countless children’s vitals, must look elcewhere for nourishment.

INDUSTRY

Those industries which we were privileged to examine, appear to be operating effici- ently and smoothly. Technical and professional people from the Cubans themselves invari- ably head these concerns and the curve of production is con- tinually rising day by day; under the enthusiastic team- work that exists. :

Of particular interest to our miners’ union is the nickel in- dustry of Cuba and although: this will be reported in greater detail later, the technical’ de- velopment, working condi- tions, the production, and the enthusiasm of the workers therein, is a marvellous thing to behold.

TRADE UNIONS

The trade unions for the

first time are well-organized in

school for high|

out illiteracy.

Picture ahinie members of an anti-illiteracy shock” on their way to work in a village in Cuba. In this) Education thousands of youth: are volunteer!

~

and: exhibit a sunny disposition im the main that is probably a Latin-like quality: but that as we know; can easily turn into something else quite different. CONCLUSION

In conclusion of this brief summation, I d6n’t want to give the impression that Cuba has no problems for they have, and I will attempt to outline some of them in more detail for. subsequent. issues of the Herald. Nor- should it be in- timated. that there are not those in Cuba, a small min- ority, that are unhappy. over

the turn of events. The> great mass of Cuban

people themselves: — appear to know h? with all of these may" organized, and hum ion. There is no dow ever that the a Latin Americans 5% South | American — oe who visit Cuba daily f ly impressed and: what they. are wit may well be that | revolution could b@ & ing point in the 10%) of Latin- Americal tion and exploitation countries. and an © indignity, poverty ? so long endured.-

every field of working peoples’ endeavour. The trade unions themselves have a say in the quotas of production’ and con- stitute a powerful voice in the affairs of the Cuban people.

A special trade union con- gress is to be held in the very near future to revise the new dynamic trade union centre, called the (C.T.C.) — Confeder- ation of Cuban’ Workers.

The present leader of the trade union movement in Cuba is an energetic Negro who reflects the point that people of all colours share positions of leadership through- out the whole country.

THE MILITIA

Cuba is patrolled night and day by. thousands of ‘well-arm- ed militia of both sexes, It is almost unreal to’ see the: pala~ tial hotels and holidays re-

Batista’s’ Cuba being’ utilized by hundreds of happy children of mixed colouring, ‘splashing: around in’ sumptuously” ap- pointed swimming pools’ that surround all the large ‘hotels, guarded’ it seems by thé ‘uato-

matic weapons of the: people)

themselves, rather than a swashbuckling: gang’ of undis- ciplined bullies: and’ ‘gun-toting desperadoes as we have’ been led to believe.

The militia: of Cuba are quiet, unobstrusive, and ap- pear to be: extremely wellkdigs: ciplined. Every group’ has its

lookers have any’ doubts® but that Cuba is well: able to’ de- fend itself from’ ne invasion by’ anyon:

' The people are Beaiitifat to.

ing; and not -the’ Taiwan: setup

‘sidered-that Taiwan ‘is part of

‘tived at Peking Airport wear- ing’a bright red: shirt.-He chat-| ted: ‘affably? with high ranking}

PEKING—Field® Marshal key principles te ease world

Great Hall of the People here Sept. 7.

He. proposed: (i). There should’ be. only one China whom everybody recognizes; (2) there’ should: be two: Ger- manys whom everybody rec- ognizes and (3) all the armed forces everywhere should with- draw’ back to their national territories.

On China Monty said: “I would like to make - it~ clear that when I say China I mean the People’s Republic of China with: the* government in. Pek-

which’ is in» no way qualified to represent China, and» never has beeni»I -have* always con-

the People’s» Republic. The British field marshal ar-

officials on hand to greet ‘him;

and later was ‘received and had|’

a friendly talk with’ vice-pre- mier Marshal Chen» Yi:»

If Montgomery follows the!

same policy he followed ‘last year in his talks with leaders of the government here, it is unlikely that all details will be revealed to the press. In his re- cently published book, ‘‘The Path to Leadership”. he ‘de- Scribes how he went to these meetings unaccompanied by an interpreter from the British ‘Mission’ because- “this-is. essen- tial> if you want. your: host» to Speak. his true mind, without: any suspicion that’ what he Says will beat orice’ ‘reported

look at, both: male‘and female,

Monty gives plan to ease world tensi

By BERT WHYTE Pacific Tribune Correspondent

‘course;

in. 1984, It-is not’?

to the Foreign Office in Lon-

September 22, 1961—PACIFIC TRIBUNE™

Montgontery® outii™, tension at a pangle) a

don. I did not tell charge d’AffairesS” | talked about — whl i pointed him no dou? if In his» book, Mon made this comment ? “There are many ?~ tions inthe oe about the New China) larly in the United ~ not. ever China is good, nor” , western worldvery f

it. But not ever, as some: think. It i8 wrong to think that nation. of unhaPp préssed people, starved into ‘sub: ploited’ by ruthie with fear’ abroad. it That was possibly a ture of the old Chit’) it would be-the pic,

ture. of China. 0% 7 knew the old. chint of prefer the New chim | ‘old. <i

Be

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