Jews in Cuba Made Scapegoat in Unrest

Cuba, which has never been given much thought anywhere but in the United States, has suddenly become a center of interest to all the world. After three months of volcano-like political eruption the air here is still far from clear and the atmosphere is still threatening, to the Jews as well as to others.

The Jews of Cuba were among the first victims of the economic upheaval that the country has just passed through. Within the past eight or ten years some six to eight thousand Jews have come to Cuba from Poland, Russia, Latvia, Roumania and other countries. Their economic condition has always been unsettled and precarious, and they have often been the target of criticism, although not usually because of their Jewishness per se.

During the years of Machado’s dictatorship there were several attacks upon the Jews, but the matter never became an issue. The Jewish workers particularly were attacked, and, not being citizens, they could do little in reprisal. Every effort to organize even on a cultural basis was suppressed: the Jewish Workers’ Culture Society and the Jewish Workers’ Sport Club were dissolved, and Jewish workers suffered along with others under Machado’s restrictions in favor of the employer. Any effort to combat this situation was immediately branded as “left” and “red”, and resulted in deportations, about seventy so deported being Jews.

During the August general strike and the overthrow of the Machado government, the Jewish population, living from hand to mouth under the best of circumstances in Cuba, had nothing to eat. The de Cespedes government brought some relief to the Jewish population, which had been working for an average wage of sixty to eighty cents a day (women for thirty and forty cents). But the military revolt of September 4 changed the Jewish situation for the worse again.

In order to combat the general impression abroad that the Grau government is radical it is suppressing all efforts of labor to organize and is spreading the rumor that the Jews are responsible for having brought communism into the country, for organizing strikes, for the threat of American military intervention.

The result is that wherever one goes in Cuba one hears talk about the “Poliako”, as the Jew is known in Cuba, and his bad influence. A visit to President Grau San Martin by the Judicial body representing combined Havana Jewish groups resulted in a cordial denial by the president that the government was in any way responsible, so that no headway could be made in the matter of clearing up ill-feeling against the Jews.

The situation is further complicated by the appearance here of a Hitlerite Fascist movement which is demanding “Cuba for Cuba and for the Cubans”. This group also urges a law stipulating that eighty percent of the employees in any given establishment be native-born and is carrying on a despicable widespread propaganda against aliens and especially against Jews. It is expected that they will succeed in getting the law passed, as a result of which Jews will lose their jobs.

The Cuban press is aiding in the propaganda against foreigner—”un-desirable elements” and “Poliakos”. An editorial in El Pais Libre even goes so far as to urge the deportation of the “Poliakos” and to close the doors of Cuba to them and all others who might be suspected of intent to “take advantage” of Cuba. Another editorial, in La Voce, urges, in the name of the chief of police of Cuba, that the government investigate Jewish family life, which is “abnormal and immoral”.