Stamper Arrested

Sent to stamp out Cuba's rebellion in Santa Clara Province, Dictator Machado's strong-arm man Major Arsenio Ortiz last week stamped furiously. Than catching and trying nimble rebels, he found it easier -L-o shoot and hang any suspected person he could lay hands on. Such last fortnight were three guards of a U. S.-owned sugar mill at Jatibonico. Ortiz had them slaughtered on suspicion. The company's vice president posted off to Havana to protest to U. S. Ambassador Sumner Welles. Soon Ortiz followed, talked with officials and flew back to the Santa Clara front.

Suddenly last week Machado called Ortiz back to Havana again. This time he was asked to answer formal military charges of murdering the three mill guards. Under technical arrest. Ortiz retired to his home outside Havana, hard by Dictator Machado's country place.

What part Ambassador Welles had had in this was hidden last week by his customary public silence. But behind the scenes he was active. He called on Secretary of State Orestes Ferrara. Ten minutes after he arrived, word went out to the government censors, who edit all Cuban newspapers, to suppress all mention of the call. One enthusiastic censor forbade all future mention of Mr. Welles. Next day Mr. Welles had luncheon with Machado and the man Machado had just made his Secretary of War & Marine: General Alberto Herrera. As Secretary of State Ferrara sailed for London at the head of Cuba's delegation to the World Economic Conference. Machado made Herrera Acting Secretary of State as well. Thus, his Cabinet was heavily military.

A pro-Machado editor last week noted "a deep uneasiness" in Machado's appearance and speech, quoted him as saying. "If it weren't cowardly to give up a post when occupying it involves a sacrifice, believe me, I wouldn't be here." Havana buzzed with rumors of a "crisis."

Meantime, from the hill rebellion in eastern Cuba began to come names of leaders. One was Colonel Juan Bias Hernandez whose name showed brightly on Ortiz' posters offering $500 reward for his capture, dead or alive. Airplanes had failed to spot Hernandez' hill hideout. His mounted band knifed swiftly again & again at government troops, ripped off a few and swerved back into the hills. Last week he challenged them, "Come and get me."

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