-DATE- 19590220 -YEAR- 1959 -DOCUMENT_TYPE- INTERVIEW -AUTHOR- F. CASTRO -HEADLINE- 4 HOUR TV APPEARANCE -PLACE- CUBA -SOURCE- INCOMING TELEGRAM -REPORT_NBR- FBIS -REPORT_DATE- 19590220 -TEXT- Control: 12657 Rec'd: FEBRUARY 20, 1959 6:30 P.M. FROM: HABANA TO: Secretary of State NO: 1004, FEBRUARY 20. PRIORITY FIDEL CASTRO MADE 4 HOUR TV APPEARANCE LAST NIGHT COVERING WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS. VERBATIM TEXT NOT YET AVAILABLE. FOLLOWING ARE HIGHLIGHTS BASED ON PRESS SUMMARIES AND REPORTS SEVERAL EMBASSY OFFICERS. 1. UNEMPLOYMENT: REPEATED HIS ECONOMIC THEORIES THAT LONG TERM SOLUTION LIES BASICALLY IN AGRARIAN REFORM, COUPLED WITH INDUSTRIALIZATION AND TARIFF PROTECTION. RECENT DECISIONS RE REOPENING OF CASINOS, ALLOWING CONTINUATION OF JUKE BOXES, RESCINDING BOYCOTT SHELL PRODUCTS WERE DESIGNED NOT EXACERBATE PROBLEM. INSTITUTE OF SAVINGS AND HOUSING EXPECTED IN NEXT 2 TO 3 MONTHS CREATE EMPLOYMENT FOR 50 TO 100 THOUSAND PERSONS. 2. INDUSTRIALIZATION: NO DESIRE TO COMPETE WITH HIGHLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES IN THEIR SPECIALTIES. CUBA SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON INDUSTRIES PRODUCING GOODS FOR DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION. NOT INTERESTED IN INVESTMENTS BY FOREIGN COMPANIES ATTRACTED MAINLY BY HOPE OF LARGE PROFITS. PREFERS FOREIGN LOANS AT FIXED INTEREST RATES. CUBA HAS RECEIVED LOAN OFFERS OF OVER ONE BILLION PESOS. 3. REFORM: CUBA SUFFERS FROM WIDE DISPARITY BETWEEN TECHNOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT. REVOLUTION IS GOING TO INTRODUCE SWEEPING REFORMS; AGRARIAN, TARIFF, FISCAL, EDUCATIONAL. IN ADDITION INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES ALSO NECESSARY REFORM POLITICS, CUSTOMS, MENTAL ATTITUDES. 4. DICTATORSHIPS: NOTHING IS GAINED BY UNILATERAL SEVERING OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. CONCURRENT ACTION BY DEMOCRACIES WOULD HAVE IMPORTANT EFFECT. EXILES FROM DICTATORSHIPS CAN COUNT ON CUBAN SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT IN EFFORTS TO OVERTHROW DICTATORSHIPS. WHILE IN VENEZUELA HE HAD PROPOSED THAT DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, NICARAGUA AND PARAGUAY BE EXPELLED FROM OAS. 5. OAS: NO FAITH IN OAS. IT IS ORGAN WHICH SOLVES NOTHING; ALL IS FICTION. IT HAS NOT SERVED PEOPLE OF AMERICA. 6. ASYLUM: URRUTIA HAS A CLOSELY REASONED LEGAL POSITION ON SUBJECT. BUT UNDER SEMI- PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM RESPONSIBILITY FOR DECISIONS FALLS NOT ON PRESIDENT BUT ON PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET. RIGHT OF ASYLUM IS SOUND AND USEFUL PRINCIPLE. ASYLEES WILL BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE UNDER SAFE CONDUCT. 7. ATTITUDE TOWARD US: HE IS NOT ENEMY OF AMERICAN PEOPLE, SOME OF WHOM ARE FRIENDLY TOWARD NEW REGIME, BUT CUBA IS SOVEREIGN AND FREE AND HAS RIGHT FOLLOW ITS OWN INDEPENDENT COURSE AND OWN POLICY INTERESTS. HISTORICALLY CUBA HAS BEEN VICTIM OF UNITED STATES INFLUENCE FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS. IF US HAD NOT INTERVENED UNASKED IN 1898, CUBA WOULD HAVE WON HERE OWN INDEPENDENCE TO HER OWN ADVANTAGE WITHOUT CARPET BAGGERS AND SERVILE CUBANS TAKING OVER IMPORTANT POSITIONS, AND WITHOUT CONSEQUENT ECONOMIC VASSALAGE. PLATT AMENDMENT HAD WORKED AGAINST DESTINIES OF CUBA, CREATING AN ATTITUDE OF CONFORMITY AND FATALISM. ANY CHANGE IN POLICY WITH VIEW IMPROVEMENT RELATIONS MUST COME FROM US BECAUSE CUBA HAS NOTHING TO RECTIFY. REVOLUTIONARY ARMY HAD EVERY RIGHT TO IMPRISON MEMBERS OF US MILITARY MISSIONS, WHO TRAINED AND WORKED WITH BATISTA ARMY AND WERE IN GARRISONS WHEN THEY SURRENDERED, BUT HAS TREATED THEM COURTEOUSLY AND PERMITTED THEM DEPART. IT IS HISTORICAL FACT THAT US SUPPORTED BATISTA. PREPARED RECEIVE NEW AMBASSADOR COURTEOUSLY, BUT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER HE REPRESENTS ANY CHANGE IN POLICY. IF US REALLY INTENDS TO CHANGE POLICY, THEN SHOULD BUY MORE CUBAN SUGAR. BUT CUBA NOT DEPENDENT ON SALES SUGAR US AND IS TIRED OF CONTINUAL THREATS BY U S TO REDUCE CUBAN SUGAR PURCHASES. REFERENCE HERE TO RECENT ELLENDER REMARKS. CUBA WILL SELL SUGAR TO ANYONE WITH MONEY TO PURCHASE, INCLUDING RUSSIA AND CHINA, AND IF NECESSARY WILL EAT IT BEFORE SUBMITTING TO U S PRESSURE. 8. RELATIONS WITH OTHER NATIONS: CUBA WILL MAINTAIN RELATIONS WITH ALL COUNTRIES WHICH ARE FRIENDLY AND DO NOT REPRESENT A THREAT TO CUBAN PEOPLE AND SOVEREIGNTY. 9. EDUCATION: TEXT BOOKS NEED TO BE REVISED T SHOW TRUE PICTURE OF RECENT PERIOD AND INFLUENCE OF U S. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF BATISTA MUST BE PLACED IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE. GOVERNMENT PLACING GREAT EMPHASIS ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. SCHOLASTIC CITES WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IN HABANA, SANTA CLARA, SANTIAGO. TOTAL AT LEAST 100 SCHOOLS WILL BE STARTED THIS YEAR. 10. TOURISM: THIS IMPORTANT TO NATIONAL ECONOMY. BUT TRAFFIC MUST BE CHANGED FROM THOSE ATTRACTED BY GAMBLING TO THOSE COMING TO ENJOY NATURAL BEAUTY OF COUNTRY. GAMBLING IN LUXURY HOTELS AND CLUBS IS BEING TOLERATED IN ORDER AVOID REDUCING SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT AT THIS TIME. 11. ELECTIONS: GOVT INTENDS HOLD THEM IN TWO YEARS. POLITICAL CAREER WILL NO LONGER BE ATTRACTIVE. LEGISLATORS WILL RECEIVE MODEST SALARIES AND NO LONGER HAVE PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY. -END-