-DATE- 19651024 -YEAR- 1965 -DOCUMENT_TYPE- SPEECH -AUTHOR- F. CASTRO -HEADLINE- SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE PARTY -PLACE- HAVANA -SOURCE- GRANMA -REPORT_NBR- FBIS -REPORT_DATE- 19650930 -TEXT- CASTRO ON THE SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THAT PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND ON THE PARTY Following is a translation of a speech by Fidel Castro appearing in the Spanish-language publication Granma, Havana, 24 October 1965, pp 12-14 Conclusions of Commander Fidel Castro on questions of party organization during the national meeting of provincial bureaus and regional secretaries of the party held 30 September and 1 October 1965. Comrades: It is quite late and the work has been hard during these two days. So I will try to brief and at least if I don't manage to be as brief as I would like, at least you will excuse me if I speak a little quietly. It has generally seemed to me, as indicated by several comrades, that among the comrades who have met here there is a good feeling about this assembly, these meetings. That is to say I have heard several very good opinions that it has been very useful, many things of interest have been discussed, and the result is going to very favorable. Also, it has been well organized in general terms and an advance job of reporting, consultation and discussion has been done so that the ideas were quite well worked out. This is why it can be said that quite a great result has been achieved in these two days of meetings. Two very interesting things have been discussed -- the matter of the Coordination, Execution and Inspection Board and the questions relating to the party. Naturally, I reiterate the idea that we shouldn't think that the measures adopted are perfect. These measures must stand the test of time and we must always watch the operation of each of these regulations carefully so that in time we can perfect this type of statute until the final party statutes are worked out, which could be approved, for example, in the congress which we are going to hold the end of next year. For our part, we have been pleased to observe the seriousness, the responsibility and the common sense shown in all the contributions by the comrades. Many comrades have spoken and there hasn't been any foolishness, any digressions. Everyone has stated well expressed ideas, which shows how a series of political cadres are developed which the party and the country need so much. I see the progress of a series of new, able cadres and this, naturally, is very encouraging for all of us. I also know because of what some comrades have thought, and I'm not going to say who, but he's right here, who told me that the comrades had some expectations about tonight's meeting, about what we were going to discuss. Actually, of course we have to do some things here tonight, some news, but don't expect too much, don't expect much more than what we are actually going to explain. I think it was comrade Joel who told me that some even thought I was going to read the document I mentioned on comrade Guevara. Actually, what was agreed on this was to read it day after tomorrow, which is Sunday, when we are going to have a rally. That is to say, we are going to have the rally which we mentioned and I think we should have a little patience, and wait 48 hours to find out about hat document. Actually it is a document which no one knows anything about yet; it isn't that the comrades here couldn't have read it but we have been very much occupied with other tasks these days, although all the comrades on the executive board know the problem in essence. Many Revolutionary Assets in the Country The executive board, in accord with the proposal which we made on 28 September, has been meeting recently on the job of establishing the central committee of the party. Naturally the formation of the central committee of the party was a difficult thing, as to the selection of all the comrades to make up the committee since the country has many revolutionary assets. There are many men of merit, background, ability and it isn't easy to make a selection of those who by reason of their ability, their work, their function we consider the best assets and the best able to constitute that central committee. In the first place, we agreed that the central committee should have no more than 100 members. Beyond 100 the problem would be even worse because we got into categories and more categories of comrades, which would have made the list a little long. At the same time it seemed to us that this first central committee should not come up with an excessively large number of members. That number was set, which committed us to make the selection within that figure. We have tried to give this committee great weight in public opinion, to have this committee received with sympathy by the party and the people, to have it inspire confidence in the country, to have represented not only the historic forces of the revolution, but the quality within those historic forces. We are absolutely sure that, naturally, it will be impossible for a task of this nature or a decision of this nature to satisfy everybody one hundred percent, because always, always there will be some case, some absence, some presence. But I can tell you that under present conditions, under the circumstances in which this decision is made, we have made our best effort. And we have made the best selection. And I am sure that if we, for example, were to analyze all the cases one by one, if we were to make substitutions and proposals, each one of you, knowing the background of each one of the members of that central committee, the merits of each one of them, the jobs they have done and are doing, the human and revolutionary qualities of each one of them, would be hard put to it to replace one of them, to replace any of them, by another comrade. The Members of the Central Committee I am going to read the list of members of the central committee in alphabetical order: (The names of the comrades who form the central committee of the Cuban Communist Party were then read) As you see in the formation of the committee, the comrades who belonged to the national executive board are in first place, the comrades who have been outstanding for their good work in public administration. Comrades like Elena Gil who have done an extraordinary job on a job front; comrades like Tarrau, for several years director of the Isle of Pines prison where he has done an extraordinary job, in addition to being a serious and able comrade, of exemplary conduct. Cases like that of comrade Pitute, who is Jose Arteaga, who throughout the whole revolutionary process was characterized by a good, positive, fraternal attitude to everyone, who carried out all the tasks which he undertook and who has done an important job in the Escambray. The comrades of the mass organizations, like comrade Pepe Ramirez, comrade Vilma Espin, and comrade Jose Matar. We have taken account of the comrades who have been most outstanding in the struggle against bandits, in the struggle against the counter-revolution, above all in the Escambray, where comrade Anibal Velaz, as all the Las Villas comrades know, was extraordinarily outstanding. Cases like comrade San Luis, considered in his condition as captain of the invasion column and also his loyalty to the revolution, his self-denying job at the head of the Department of Security in Pinar del Rio province. He is the captain known as San Luis, and I think his name is Eliseo Reyes Rodriguez. We have taken into account the job done by comrade Miguel Martin Perez at the head of Youth; we have taken into account the historic merits and communist militancy over so many years of comrades like Fabio Grobart, or like comrade Guerrero, whose conduct and whose bravery in the face of tyrannical repression is well known by all, as is his patient and self-sacrificing work in the party. We have taken into account the young brave ones who have been outstanding in their work, like comrade Malmierca, like comrade Joel Domenech, like comrade Lionel Sota, like comrade Risquet, who as you know is now carrying out an important mission. There is important participation on this central committee by officers of our Revolutionary Armed Forces, of comrades who distinguished themselves extraordinarily in war, and not only that. We haven't included comrades who were very distinguished in the war and who even distinguished themselves in certain jobs later and who nevertheless are not listed simply because of different lacks, different defect which they never corrected. In the case of the army comrades we have considered their revolutionary history before the triumph of the revolution and in these seven years of revolution in which they have worked extraordinarily in an anonymous way, in which they have incredibly raised their cultural capacity, their political capacity and their technical capacity: men of a blind loyalty to the nation and to the revolution, who because of their ability and their merits fulfill important functions in the armed forces, bulwark of the revolution, which the enemy has never been able to penetrate; comrades, in addition, of an extraordinary modesty, who never in these seven years have held any post of a political type, who have devoted themselves to their tasks, to the fulfillment of their obligations, without ever complaining, without ever having demanded anything, without ever having said, having shown even the least preoccupation because their names were not counted in the bosom of the political apparatus of the revolution which they, in an exemplary fashion and important way, helped to form. Because actually, because of the conditions under which we today must face our enemies and will have to face our enemies for many years, a great number of very brave comrades have remained in the armed forces who actually could have rendered important services in the economy, the administration, or the party. We think that the recognition of their merits and their ability and their revolutionary rank will strengthen their authority with their men, will strengthen their prestige with the units where they carry out their functions and will contribute toward making even more firm, more solid, the defense of our nation in the face of threats of aggression. Thus, with this criterion, the central committee of our party has been selected, which will carry out its functions as the first central committee until the holding of our first congress, when we hope that the number of members may be larger thanks to the greater development of the party. We have worked hard these few days, and the comrades who had the mission today of telling these comrades of their election as members of the central committee could tell moving scenes of great emotion with regard to each one of these comrades. The great honor, the spirit of humility, of deep emotion was often revealed in tears when they were informed of this decision. The Political Bureau, the Secretariat and the Work Committees The national executive board agreed to establish a political bureau, a secretariat, as well as various work committees. All the work committees are not included, because some, like the one on cultural problems, should be organized later, as well as those related to other activities. The existence of the bureau changes the character of the secretariat. The secretariat, also, was agreed upon as a body which has in the first place the object of the hierarchization of certain comrades within the central committee and at the same time to create a body which will be able to work with the bureau, in cooperation with the bureau in the fulfillment of the political bureau's tasks. The political bureau was formed by the following eight comrades: Commander Sergio del Valle Jimenez, Commander Guillermo Garcia Frias, comrade Armando Hart Davalos, Commander Ramiro Valdes Menendez, Commander Juan Almeida Bosque, comrade Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado, Commander Raul Castro Ruz and yours truly. The following committees were established: Committee on Constitutional Studies: President, Blas Roca Calderio; members: Jose A. Naranjo Morales, Alfredo Yabur Maluf. Economic Committee, headed by comrade Osvaldo Dorticos and also including comrades Faure Chomon, Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, Commander Raul Curbelo Morales and comrade Joel Domenech Benitez. Comrade Joe Domenech Benitez will be promoted, because of great need, to an administrative post which has to do with the economy, on which we will report Sunday. I am not explaining it in more detail because I don't want a question of embarrassment to arise with respect to the comrade who is presently doing this job and with whom it will be necessary to talk in order to tell him about it in advance. The Revolutionary Armed Forces and State Security Committee, formed by Commanders Raul Castro Ruz, Ramiro Valdes and Sergio del Valle Jimenez. The Education Committee, headed by comrade Armando Hart Davalos because Comrade Armando Hart has had seven years of experience in the Ministry of Education. This is why it was decided that he should preside over this committee, even though he holds other posts which themselves require a good deal of dedication and work. And it also includes comrades Lionel Soto Prieto and comrade Jose Llanusa Gobel. And the committee of Foreign Relations, headed by comrade Osmany Cienfuegos and also including comrade Raul Roa Garcia and comrade Manuel Pineiro Lozada. Comrade Armando Hart was also designated as Secretary for Organization of the party. A Step Which Will Accelerate the Progress of the Revolution on all Fronts We believe that this step which we have taken will cause a strong impact on the nation and will permit the utilization of the favorable conditions and potentialities of our revolution to accelerate the progress of the same in all ranks and on all fronts. It marks the definitive beginning of a work method, a method of direction, methods which we have longed for for a long time. Our committee would have been established several months before if it hadn't been for the circumstances of the absence of comrade Guevara. In the midst of a great campaign of stories and rumors, the establishment of a committee with the absence of comrade Guevara would have seemed a very strange thing and would have led to a great many speculations abroad and also here at home. However, circumstances didn't permit us to report what is pertinent in this respect, circumstances didn't permit me to publish before the document which I mentioned on 28 September, circumstances which have to do with the security of that comrade and with the revolutionary mission which that comrade is carrying out. It was very recently that the opportunity came to be able to read that document -- don't think that it is a very long document, but it is a document which is very explanatory about this particular and as soon as it was possible we set ourselves to the accomplishment of these steps and that is why we announced simultaneously the purpose of establishing the committee at the same time as the publication of that document. This will put an end to a series of speculations in general, rumors, lies and finally an entire series of factors which were utilized by the enemy and which we have borne patiently in the hope of an opportunity to demolish all that. As I told you, it wasn't easy to make this selection. And we have reached these agreements by exchanging impressions and discussion with the comrades of the executive board, in a fraternal atmosphere, in an atmosphere of responsibility and in an atmosphere of understanding among the comrades of the executive board. The committee has been created, and the organs of the central committee have been created, and we have taken into consideration all the factors which could contribute to the formation of this leadership body, in tune with the spirit which has always been followed, in tune with the advance of our revolution. And in spite of its being a difficult task, it has been done and -- in our opinion -- in a satisfactory fashion. From the United Party of The Socialist Revolution to the Communist Party of Cuba It is our intention to call together tomorrow all the comrades of the central committee in order to hold the first official meeting for the ratification of these resolutions and the adoption of some other agreements, among which is the idea of changing the name of our party, i.e. of the United Party of the Socialist Revolution for the name of the Communist Party of Cuba (Great applause). Also the proposal to found a single newspaper, the newspaper Hoy and the newspaper Revolution, to constitute this party's organ, and with a new name. A Single Line in All Areas In order that we may in the future establish conditions so that our party may take care of all the work fronts systematically, so that we may finally establish complete and absolute political unity, so that the well-known stories on origins may disappear forever, so that all trace of tendencies and all reminiscence of what everybody used to be, in order to create and advance what everybody is today, let us step firmly forward against all plotting, all intrigue, every manifestation of groupism, not in the bosom of the party, but that kind of groupism which is seen especially outside the party. Let's establish a uniformity of policy and not a heterogeneous policy, a single line in all areas: in the ideological area, in the economic area and in all fields, taking maximum advantage of the resources which we have and which it would be criminal on our part after seven years of revolution not to use to the maximum for the benefit of our people and our fatherland. We should be sensitive to the many needs which still remain to be satisfied in our nation; we should be sensitive to the many problems which remain to be solved. And we have in our hands the revolutionary power, i.e. the dream of every revolutionary, that opportunity for which there has been such a struggle in the history of our nation, that opportunity which has cost so many lives and so many sacrifices and which we today have in our hands and which we must know how to utilize properly, with the maximum of enthusiasm, the maximum energy and also with maximum wisdom. This is why we fought, we fought for this opportunity, Nothing belongs to any one of us. Everything belongs to the people, everything belongs to the revolution. None of us has the right to fight for anything except his, for anything which interest us as persons, as individuals. In any event, the only thing any of us as individuals can count on is our vocation, our revolutionary vocation, and there is no revolutionary vocation without revolutionary passion. With the passion which penetrates the true revolutionary vocation we should dedicate ourselves to marching forward to create, to open new roads toward new forms of social life, which requires the maximum energy, enthusiasm, firmness and zeal of all men. All these tasks are in our hands and it is our duty to carry them out fully. We should work not only for today but especially for tomorrow. In the early days of all revolutions there are men of great prestige whom circumstances endow with the possession of great authority with the masses and the people, but with the passage of years thousands, tens of thousands of men stand out in political, economic and social activities. The men with the authority appropriate to the early days of the revolution disappear and then institutions have to replace the men, the systems, the methods. If in the early days of the revolution and later these methods and these systems are not created, the consequences are felt later. A Firmly United Revolutionary People The entire strength of the revolutionary tradition is needed and we must create that revolutionary tradition from right now. Strong norms and principles are essential and we must establish these norms and these principles solidly right now. This task hasn't been easy. Historically the dissolvent and centripetal forces of our society often overcame the agglutinating and centrifugal forces -- if I may use these terms from the field of physics -- throughout history Cubans often wasted their energies in useless internal quarrels. It was thus throughout the struggle for independence, it happened thus throughout the struggle after the misnamed independence of the country. It happened thus in the 1933 revolution. But this time the forces which unite have overcome the forces which divide and for the first time in a long historical period we have a closely united people, with immense revolutionary force which embraces millions of men and women in Cuba, solidly united and organized. Resistance to imperialism would not have been possible without this. The victories achieved would not have been possible without this and today we have a firmly united revolutionary people. It has been possible because of the level of political development of our people; it has been possible because of the self-denying, responsible and exalted effort of the men who have taken part in the revolutionary process in our nation, in this revolutionary process. It has been possible because of the spirit of many men, many leaders, many cadres, through their self-denial, their disinterestedness and because they knew how never to put personal things first or personal aspiration of any kind but the interests of the revolution, the interests of the fatherland. And because of this, because of what has been achieved thanks to that, to that spirit which has prevailed among the responsible men of the revolution, we can bring this phase to an end, to a whole phase, and come forward with a party still small in numbers but with immense prestige and influence throughout the nation; with a party small in numbers but already tested, disciplined and battle-hardened. And with these forces, with the forces which the revolution has created, we can face the future calmly and confidently. I ask all the comrades who represent the party here as leaders in the provinces and in the regionals for their full support for these resolutions adopted by the national executive board of the party (Prolonged applause.) -END-