Pulitzer Prize — Congratulatory Letters “M-O” (JSK_BG2_F03)

              The Publisher9s Notebook Sunday, July 16, 1967 THE MIAMI HK.RAT.n
Words From Khrushchev
Torment Our Statesmen
DID THE late President Kenne¬
dy and Russia's Nikita Khrushchev
make a deal in October of 1962'
which gave Fidel Castro an abso¬
lute grip on Cuba?
The former premier, now living
in enforced retirement, said on a
National Broadcasting Co. inter¬
view that the Soviets agreed to
withdraw their rockets from Cuba
in exchange for Kennedy's pledge
that the' United States would not
invade the island.
Mr. Khrushchev added tha
President Johnson is bound by this
agreement. The State Department
denies that any commitment exists.
Since many people did not see
the Khrushchev interview last
Tuesday evening because of the 15-
inning All Star game, excerpts
from Nikita's observations are
worth repeating.
Khrushchev said: "If rockets
had not been installed, would there
be a Cuba today? No, it would
have been wiped out . . . our
transportation of rockets was jus¬
tified. It cost us money but we did
not lose a single man.
"We took our rockets and bomb¬
ers away in exchange for Presi¬
dent Kennedy's promise not to
invade Cuba ... we told Cdmrade
Castro that if Kennedy broke his
word, all the means which we had,
are1 still in our possession ... so
that if I he situation required, we
could use it.
"We must give creuit to the
United States, and first of all to
President Kennedy who also
showed sense and coolheadedness.
He gave us his promise to carry
his part and we carried out. ours.
"After President Kennedy's
death, President Johnson ... as¬
sured us that he would stick to
promises made by President Ken¬
nedy. So far they have not been
violated. We brought the breath of
war closer to the American war¬
mongers. We also demonstrated a
clear understanding of when one
can avoid a war and solve a ques¬
tion by negotiation."
The Fine Speeches
IF KHRUSHCHEV'S allega¬
tions are true — and thus far no
one has wholly refuted them — his
words will ever torment our states¬
men, past and present, who prom¬
ised "positive action" to restore a
free Cuba.
*This Flap, U ill Be Returned To This Brigade In A Free Havana'
On April 20, 1961, President
Kennedy told the American Society-of
Newspaper Editors that Cuba
must not be abandoned to the Com¬
munists. The same undertaking
was given at Miami's Orange Bowl
io Cubans who had participated in
the Bay of Pigs invasion.
A joint resolution of the Senate
and House of Representatives was
adopted in September of 1962
which gave authority "to prevent
by whatever means may be neces¬
sary, including the use of arms, the
Marxist-,Leninist regime in Cuba
from extending . . . its aggressive
and subversive activities in any
part of this hemisphere."
Sen. George Smathers of Flori¬
da said in a speech on May 20,
J.064, that we must unequivocally
reaffirm the pledge made by "our
beloved and martyred President
Tohn F. Kennedy not to abandon
Cuba to the Communists."
Similar speeches were made by
Senators Milward L. Simpson of
Wyoming, who retired this year,
Gordon L. Allot of Colorado. Strom
Thurmond of South Carolina,
Thruston Morton of Kentucky and
hwumerable other members of the
House and Senate.
Sen. Simpson thought Cuba
"can still be freed without di'-ect
U.S. military intervention" but
failed to say how. Sen. Allot thun¬
dered that "the attempt to sweep
Cuba under the rug will never suc¬
ceed." Sen. Thurmond believed
"Any nation or nations in the
Western Hemisphere are free to
assist in the overthrow of the Com¬
munist-satellite regime in Cuba."
But he didn't spell it out. Sen. Pe¬
ter Dominick of Colorado urged hi
1964 that the administration "de¬
velop a positive policy on Cuba."
These are alt patriotic men.
Their speeches have the ring of
sincerity. Yet, as the old refrain
goes. "They don't mean a thing."
For our government does have
a Cuba policy though it could hard¬
ly be described as "positive."
Ashes In The Mouth
CORRESPONDENCE between
fighters for Cuba's f r e e-dom
and the State Department
reveals this statement on July 23,
1965. by Robert A. Stevenson, dep¬
uty coordinator of Cuban affairs:
"This government does not
regard the Castro regime as a mili¬
tary threat either to the United
States or to Latin America and
therefore, under present circum¬
stances, we do not advocate, as you
do, the use of armed force."
Mr. Stevenson quite accurately
pointed out that a policy of aiding
hit-and-run attacks against Cuba
or equipping from United States
territory would involve violations
of U.S. law.
This is very thin gruel indeed
to sustain the cause of the Cubans
who have lost their homeland.
As the State Department says:
"This government shares with
Cubans and others in the hemi¬
sphere the desire for a return of
freedom to Cuba, but the issue of
war or peace is one to be decided
by the governments of the hemi¬
sphere and by their people."
And, as David Lawrence has
written: "Intervention by the So¬
viet government in the internal
affairs of a country in this hemi¬
sphere was a blatant disregard of
I he Monroe Doctrine."
Yet the Cuban refugees and
their well wishers in this country
will never forget John F. Kenne¬
dy's stirring pledge to members of
Brigade 2596 at the Orange Bowl
in December of 1962. "I can assure
vou this flag will be returned to
his brigade in.a free Havana."
Now the doctrine is dead and
Kennedy's emotional phrases are
is ashes in the mouth.
Such, and sadly, are the ways
'f international diplomacy.
JOHN Sr KNIGHT
That 'Unholy' Cuba Pact Stands Confirmed
If anybody had any doubts about
the "unholy pact" between the late
President Kennedy and Nikita
Khrushchev regarding Cuba, all he
has to do is read your July i2th edi¬
tion. claims victory in the missile crisis of promise from President Kennedy not
On the one hand Khruihchev October, 1962, because he obtained a to bother Castro (a few dollars worth
Reproduced as a Public Service by:
CUBAN REPRESENTATION OF EXILES (RECE)
P. 0. BOX 1898 - M/AM/, FLORIDA
of freight for the round trip of these
missiles from Russia to Cuba was a
cheap price to pay for this pledge).
And -on the other hand, the order
of deportation of Felipe Rivero, be¬
cause he was bothering Castro, is the
confirmation of the pact.
Our boys are being killed in Viet¬
nam by Russian weapons while ^fight¬
ing for the Same cause as Rivero is —
I wonder if they can ever understand
all of this.
By the way, your July 12'th edition
also carries the news of another Cu¬
ban boy Pfc. Pedro Ferra Flores,
filled in action in Vietnam, fighting
:he same foe.
It is indeed a crazy world when
me man gets killed 10,000 miles away
ind another gets .deported only at
ome for believing in the same cause.
JOHN C. SILLIMAN