1939
After Castro couped Cuba we wrote two of our classmates there for the scoop on the coup. So far we have not heard from Armando Chardiet, but the following are excerpts from a letter written February 6 byAndres Calleja whose address is Central Alava, Banaguises, Prov. Matanzas, Cuba, which is, by my calculations of the flying crow, about 150 miles east of Habana:
I am very glad to say the truth to many Americans about the Cuban Revolution and the present political situation. I know the people of the U.SA. were not conscious of what happened in Cuba during the seven years of terror under Batista's government because of censorship. (More than 20,000 people killed and tortured.) Immediately after Batista's escape American newspapers reported Rebels persecuting and killing his followers. That is not true. The Rebel Army never killed or even injured a prisoner during the two years of civil war... always returned them to enemy lines after confiscating their weapons. They behaved so decently and honestly that, by the time Batista escaped, the whole population was backing the Revolution, The people's reaction was spontaneous, fantastic, but with moderation and control. Can you imagine the city of Havana, with a population of more than a million, without a single policeman and only the Boy Scouts taking care of the traffic on the streets? Well, that happened without a single killing or damage to property - because the whole country was happy with the Rebels' victory.
There are executions, of course, but only to criminals of war, those who, by fair trials, are found guilty of many tortures, murders, etc. Thousands of Batista's men are guilty of many crimes, but only a few hundred will be executed (approximately 400) as far as Dr. Fidel Castro stated a few days ago. He discouraged people taking justice in their own hands, but promised to punish the guilty according to their own crimes.
The Provisional Government looks honest with their projections. Cuba is a rich country but has never had an honest administration before. We should recover soon, and are facing all problems with honest resolution. For the first time in Cuban history we have a cabinet of young professionals without political interests. The Army and police forces will be completely renewed, and they have promised general elections within the next two years.
Now, about myself: I never had any connection with previous governments, nor with this new one. I have been working since 1943 as chief engineer (railroad and general construction) with an American sugar company. By the way, the sugar crop is normal and most of the sugar factories are already in "Zafra" (sugar making).
Also in "Zafra" is Bob Cushman, only he'smaking his sugar out of grinding wheels.Our Motor City correspondent, Bill Russell,Sent ,US a note effect "Meet my newboss. Attached to it was a clipping from"The Norton Spirit," published by the Norton Company for employees and their families. Cush has been made Sales Manager Grinding Wheels. With Norton since 1944,he was made west coast district manager in'52; in '55 assistant sales manager, and nowthis plum. He and Polly and two daughterslive at 1 Lincoln Ave., Holden, Mass.
Dr. Hal MacGilpin Jr. of Worcester, Mass., member of American Board of Internal Medicine, an associate of the American College of Physicians, member of American Heart Association, is on the staff of the Memorial Hospital, Worcester. We know all of this because the Woonsocket, R. I., Independent told us so. They also told us that on the night of February 10 Hal spoke on heart diseases before the Rotary Club in the Root Room of the Uxbridge Inn.
Another lecturing doctor is Al Friedlich of Belmont, Mass. Al has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School since 1953, and recently lectured in Goldsboro, N. C„ at the invitation of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Phil Sellinger, executive secretary to former Wisconsin Gov. Thomson, has joined the Republican State Headquarters staff at Madison as publicity director.
John Mecklin, who has been Bureau Chief of Time-Life in the Middle East area for the past three years, left Beirut recently to take up the Chief of Bureau post in Bonn, Germany. His address: c/o Time-Life, 1-a Theaterplatz. Bad Godesberg, Germany. John has previously served in Ottawa, New York, London, Hong Kong and Singapore. Each move seems to us to presage a trouble spot. Wish he'd move to Omsk.
That glistening monument to suds, Lever House, issued the communique that our own Sam Thurm has been elevated to advertising vice-president of Lever Bros. Co. Sam is probably about to be in "Zafra" too. Sam joined Lever in 1956 as media director from Young and Rubicam, or as we say on the street, Young & Rubicam.
Wayland Avery Jr. has moved to 2422 South Lowell St., Santa Ana, Calif.; Bill Buge to 8921 North Knox Ave., Skokie, Ill. And that red-headed terror of the CAA airlanes, Jim Fuller, has moved to R.F.D. #1, South Salem, N. Y. Our summa cum laude boy, Charlie Davis, who makes more conversational sense than most of us, and who, along with his lovely wife Jeanne, had a chance to prove it over Bloody Marys at reunion, now lives at 11 College Road, Princeton, N. J. Charlie is assistant professor of English at Princeton.
Ending on a sombre note, we have learned of the death of Mike Perri on February 1. We wrote to his wife Barbara whose reply failed to mention the circumstances, but Mike carved for himself a living memorial in the landscaping projects for the United Nations buildings, Stuyvesant Town, and the Bronx River Parkway. He had three children, and lived at Windmill Farm, Armonk N. Y.
Secretary, 1908 Coolidge Dr. Dayton 19, Ohio
Class Agent, 70 Pine St., New York 5, N. Y.
