New York Times
March 12, 1935. p. 1,6
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Troops, Acting in
State of War, Operate a Few Trains and Open Some Businesses.
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Rebel Unions
Dissolved
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Army Compels Men
to Work—Government Decrees Death for Saboteurs.
By J. D. Phillips
Wireless to The New York
Times
HAVANA, March 11. – The revolutionary strike against the Mendieta administration became general today with the walkout of additional unions, effectively tying up the island’s commercial, industrial and administrative activities.
Commercial employees joined the strike, but the military authorities forced many of the business houses to open their doors. Some remained open and others closed again, but all were without clerks. A complete lack of customers prevented any business transactions.
Gaspar Rodriguez, Secretary of Labor, announced the dissolution of all striking unions.
In accordance with the declaration of a state of war throughout the island, which gave military tribunals jurisdiction over all civilians, the Cabinet late tonight decreed the death penalty for the following crimes: Acts of terrorism perpetrated with explosives and inflammable materials or the possession of these materials without authorization, firing on the authorities or any public functionaries; sabotage or complicity in acts resulting in the interruption of light, power, or water services or the distribution of foodstuffs.
Employees of the State provinces or municipalities participating in progressive strikes and acts of sabotage for maintaining such strikes are rendered liable to five years’ imprisonment.
Electric Plant
Guarded
Employees of the Compañia Cubana de Electricidad, an affiliate of the Electric Bond and Share Company of New York, quit their jobs at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. However, three shifts are being kept at the main power plant under military guard to insure light and water for the city.
The entire tobacco industry joined the strike movement as well as other allied industries. Havana was without milk, ice or bread deliveries. The ferries between Havana and Guanabacoa and Regla stopped and no launches are available. Some stevedores worked at unloading steamers arriving in the port, but the docks are becoming congested because, owing to the walkout of customs employees, no merchandise can be moved.
Military forces seized the United Railways, a British company, and are preparing to man the trains. A few employees have been rounded up and will be forced back to work, it is said. Workers in the railway shops cut of both electric power and water when they walked out.
Soldiers also drove gasoline trucks of the Sinclair Standard Oil and Shell-Mexican companies, whose drivers walked out. These companies, at the suggestion of the government, it is reported, have advised all employees that if the do not appear for work tomorrow they will be considered as discharged and their places filled by other workers.
Omnibuses and street cars continue to be manned by police and soldiers, but only a limited number circulate and with very few passengers. Several street cars have jumped the tracks in various sections of the city because of the inexperience of the motormen.
Four more bullet-riddled bodies were found on the outskirts of the city, presumably victims of the dreaded ley de fuga (law of flight). Three were identified as Enrique Fernandez Fernandez, Under-Secretary of the Interior in the Grau San Martin administration and a member of the executive committee of the Cuban Revolutionary party headed by Dr. Grau; Juan Maria Muñoz, a former soldier, and Julio Alvarez, chauffeur of an omnibus. The fourth victim is also said to have been a bus driver, but his name has not yet been learned.
Late in the afternoon still another man was found dead and a companion gravely wounded in an automobile in the country club park. Marcelino Fernandez Cadenas, 36 years old, a Spaniard, was killed by four shots. The wounded man is Evelio Maloso, who said they were both arrested by a group of men unknown to them, taken to the park, shot and left for dead.
The government denied its adherents killed Armando Feito, a student leader during the Machado régime and an employee of the municipality, who was found dead following his arrest by soldiers and secret service men, according to the version told by his family. However, the government is silent concerning the death of Miguel Roque Fraga, father-in-law of Señor Feito, also a municipality employee, whose bullet-riddled body was found alongside that of the younger man.
The present strike is being led and controlled entirely by the University Strike Committee in cooperation with the United Front of Public Employees, representing 50,000 government workers and 9,000 teachers, according to a delegate of the public employees authorized to speak on behalf of the steering committee in a secret meeting with American correspondents.
“The Federation of Labor, the Confederation of Labor and other labor organizations have offered their support,” he said.
“But they are not officially connected with the leaders of the movement, nor is this movement officially affiliated with any political group.
“The movement is not a communistic, but a national-socialistic, movement aimed toward betterment of the life of the citizen, and we do not try to take away the guarantees of property as we have been accused by the government. But we do want to place property on a national juridical basis.
“We do not demand an exchange of men but we demand a system of government in coordination with Cuban necessities and in agreement with modern times. We are not against a determined man but a determined system. That is why Sumner Welles and Jefferson Caffery [present and former Ambassadors from the United States] failed, because they were unable to understand the Cuban people would not be satisfied with only the fall of Machado [former dictator] who was just a man, but demanded a change in the whole system.
“Our principal demands are withdrawal of military forces from civil affairs and re-establishment of civil authority guaranteed by tribunals of justice. This must be accomplished before the strike is ended.
“We are not in favor of mediation, but we would accept a settlement in case every citizen would be perfectly guaranteed, which would mean, of course, removal of military jurisdiction over any part of the civil authorities.
Dr. Miguel Riva, Secretary of the Interior, appointed several days ago, presented his resignation. It is understood he is not in accord with the strong-arm measures being put into effect by the government. Judge Maximiliano Smith was appointed in his place.
The government is making every effort to re-establish transportation facilities and normalize the functioning of government departments. While various officials affirmed employees are returning rapidly to work, a check-up revealed such statements are overly optimistic.
Broadcasts by all radio stations were suspended, but a pirate station purporting to belong to the ABC revolutionary organization warned drivers of any trucks circulating that they would be attacked tomorrow. The broadcast also gave lists of government automobiles with license numbers and descriptions and called on all “action” groups of strikers to attack these cars.
Soldiers located the pirate station, arrested twelve men operating it and destroyed the equipment.
The government advised radio stations now silent owing to the absence of musicians and personnel that they will be confiscated unless broadcasts are resumed promptly.
The National Republican party, headed by Dr. Miguel Mario Gomez, former Mayor of Havana, issued a statement strongly criticizing the government for the extreme measures and the methods employed to combat this strike movement. In discussing their stand the party leaders in particular condemn application of the ley de fuga.
Reports from the province of Pinar del Rio said the strike was in effect in that section of the island. Busses were being manned by soldiers and drivers forced to work under guard.
In the city of Camaguey busses and street cars are operated by soldiers. Owners of theatres are making an attempt to carry on, although their employees are out on strike. The staffs of many small industries there walked out, paralyzing the normal activities of the city. It is reported the Camaguey Railway Brotherhood of the Consolidated Railways, American owned, will join the strike tomorrow.
By The Associated Press
HAVANA, March 11 – There was little actual disorder in the Cuban Capital today following President Carlos Mendieta’s proclamation early this morning of a state of war throughout the country.
The Presidential decree was inline with drastic measures promised by the government to quench incipient revolution.
The decree was first employed by a now enemy of the government, Dr. Antonio Guiteras, Secretary of War in the Grau San Martin Cabinet and a confirmed radical. Señor Mendieta’s advisers took care to explain it was Dr. Guiteras’ weapon they were employing, and this was regarded as confirmation of reports that the government believes him a guiding light in the current agitation.
MIAMI, Fla., March 11 (AP) – Carlos Hevia, who held the Presidency of Cuba for three troubled days in 1934, fled here by airplane today and charged “about 200 persons have been massacred since Saturday morning.”
The United States Naval Academy graduate who succeeded Dr. Ramon Grau San Martin as Provisional President in January, 1934, said “wildest confusion prevails over the island.”
“They are finding the bodies everywhere,” he said, “and before I left Havana this afternoon I was told of the slaying of six or seven persons that I knew. Men are being taken from their homes, presumably destined for prison, and their bodies are later found.”
[President Mendieta, according to The Associated Press, denied the statement that 200 persons had been killed. He insisted that there have not been three deaths attributable to his troops.]
Señor Hevia said he came here because of the threats against his life.