-DATE- 19710712 -YEAR- 1971 -DOCUMENT_TYPE- SPEECH -AUTHOR- F. CASTRO -HEADLINE- CENTENNIAL YOUTH COLUMN -PLACE- CUBA -SOURCE- HAVANA DOMESTIC RADIO -REPORT_NBR- FBIS -REPORT_DATE- 19710714 -TEXT- CASTRO ADDRESS TO CENTENNIAL YOUTH COLUMN Havana Domestic Radio and Television Services in Spanish 2030 GMT 12 Jul 71 C [Text] of final part Castro speech to Centennial Youth Column--for first part of speech see 0 1 of 13 July DAILY REPORT.) [Text] We believe that this is a notable victory of the youth movement, of the revolutionary youth, and a notable ideological victory of the revolution. It is indicative of what can be achieved, how far we can go, how much progress can be made when we leave behind today's failures and weaknesses. Naturally, everyone is aware of the many things we need--housing, roads, irrigation systems, industries, everything, Oh, if everyone were capable of working with such high productivity, if everyone made the maximum effort, how much progress would be made by the country, how fast the country would advance. There is no doubt that one of our problems stems from the struggle with ourselves, because of the tendency man has toward softening and weakening. The revolution will not have attained its highest moral levels until men are able to de as free men what they had to do as slaves in the past; [applause] when men are able to do as free workers much more than they did in the past when hindered by hunger, poverty, by the horrible living conditions which they faced when there were no schools for all children, no medical services for all persons, no retirement for all aged persons, no sickness insurance for all citizens, accident insurance for all, citizens, or all facilities and social measures which every worker enjoys in our country. [applause] Until everyone-- not a minority nor a part--is able to do as free men, as men worthy of a society which extends such benefits to everyone, which very few nations have attained; until everyone is able to exert efforts and do more than they had to do before as enslaved workers without any of these benefits, without any of these rights; when we have achieved this [applause A we will have achieved a higher level of collective awareness. Today many persons are exerting such efforts but not all. In other words, we have a vanguard composed of exemplary men, but not many fit this category, Unfortunately, some men are making a greater effort than others. In the final analysis these men are working for all, they are working for the well-being of the people. Some make more sacrifices than others. Here is an example: The fatherland which is being built by these 24,000 columnists is a fatherland for all. [applause] It is the future for all, even for the weak ones; those who could not stand the rigors, who deserted. When the hour of effort has arrived not everyone is present. Replacements will have to come now and some will have to make more sacrifices than the rest for one reason or another; in some cases because some youths are carrying out other very important activities for the country. They are performing very important work, rendering very important services, or are studying and preparing themselves which is also very important, essential, and basic for the country. Consequently, when we consider all who are able to join the column, many of them will have to be counted out. From everyone who can come when a call is issued for everyone, who responds? Only a part always responds, and this seems to be a law of history, as in the struggles, in wars. You will recall that in the history of our war for independence, while some fought and suffered hunger and sacrifices in the ranks of the liberation army, others were fighting for the colonialist and oppressor forces. Also, during later battles some fought for the revolution and others fought against the revolution. And now, too, some of the young people must be asked to put forth a great effort; they must be asked for a greater effort for the good of the whole country. In the same way, in the factories we can see that some workers make a much greater effort than others. We were analyzing, for instance, a group of workers who are building their houses--housing for the workers, factory workers--in Havana. We analyzed the effort they were making. Those who work the least work 11 hours. Most of them work 12, 13, and some even 15 hours to solve the housing problem, building not their own homes--this would be easy; he who needs a house sets to work to build it--however, they are building for the factory, regardless of whether they have or do not have a house, We see impressive productivity. We see how they progress, how the buildings go up. And we thought that if an effort like this were made all along the line, how rapidly this country would progress. Indeed, the progress of the country depends basically on work, essentially on work. It is work which produces the material wealth which the people need. Work produces sugar, tobacco, meat, milk, construction material, clothing, shoes, food, medicine, education, health. Finally, everything is and can be the result of work, of current work, of cumulative work. The engineer who designs a project, produces this project through accumulated work--this is the result of many years of study. The doctor who saves a life, who performs a very difficult operation, what he does too is the result of the accumulated effort of study before this moment arrives. Technicians, too, use accumulated work. In this way, everything we have, everything which we can produce, in one way or another comes only--can only come--from work. Often We have a very clear idea of what we need, always alert to this or that, the thousands of things we need. But often we forget that all of this comes from work, If there were an awareness of work similar to our awareness of our needs, this country would move forward much more rapidly and in a better manner. [mild applause] And we see--in general we can say that many ask and few offer. Many ask for this and that and they want a scholarship or something, and they offer little. However, only from work can we obtain the material goods to satisfy our needs. Here in the CJC this awareness of work has advanced until it has become, I repeat, the greatest productive force in Cuba canecutting. New productive techniques are being introduced. In relation to canecutting itself, the Australian method of cutting has resulted in a notable increase in productivity. As we know, in the Australian method of cutting, the CJC canecutters achieved a production of more than 500 arrobas per working day. I think it was some 509 arrobas per man in the field if I remember correctly; 509 arrobas. What does this mean? With this productivity, if we have succeeded in applying the method to all of the cane of Camaguey, next year we can apply it on a larger scale because of the number of storage centers which are being built in this province. Next year this will make it possible for us to nearly (?fill) all the storage centers, or almost all that we can place here. When we succeed in applying this method, even without mechanization, 20,000 canecutters in the field, like those of the CJC, could average 10 million arrobas a day, 10 million. And, as you will remember, the mobilization which had to be achieved in Camaguey and the estimates which had to be made a year ago, 2 years ago, were something like 60,000 70,000, or 80,000 canecutters for the harvest. Calculate what it costs to mobilize 80,000 canecutters, how the mobilization of 80,000 canecutters affects the economy and industry. And to think that with a yield of 500, of 509 arrobas with 200,000 men in the field, 10 million arrobas of cane could be cut every day and practically nothing more would be needed for the harvest in Camaguey Province. Next year, too, a number of combines which have been purchased will arrive. They were tested this year in Havana Province and they will come to Camaguey. We shall have to continue the mechanization effort, which has been a maximum effort. However, the fact that with this yield we shall be able to make the harvest with 20,000 canecutters--when we can apply this method to all the centrals--demonstrates enormous progress in organization and technique. So if some 80,000 or 90,000 were mobilized before, now it would be 25,000 or 30,000 canecutters for the harvest. With their yield--we are talking of canecutters with this yield of 509 arrobas, and it is possible that this output could be increased with the Australian method 0f cutting, working not 15 hours, nor 12, nor 10; working from 7 to 8 hours a day--a canecutter with this method working from 7 to 8 hours a day could very well exceed the 509 arrobas a day. For the country, it means a great deal from the economic viewpoint, from all viewpoints, this enormous reduction in the labor force for the sugar harvest, while the mechanization process is developed. Camaguey is going to receive a force similar to the large one leaving here. The Camagueyans must also be asked for a maximum effort; a maximum effort. If tens of thousands of youths are mobilized from other provinces to concentrate the effort of the column basically on the tasks of the harvest [words indistinct]. A profound study must be made and the comrades of the party are already collecting the information to study how the Camagueyan labor force is used. We are sure that when this is studied seriously, applying norms, a great surplus of the labor force will be discovered. We have known cases of surpluses of dozens and dozens of workers in certain agricultural activities in various parts of the island. In Oriente, in certain dairies, more than 100 persons were surplus. I know of many cases where there were 15 workers but now there are only six or seven. There are hardly any standards or good organization. I am sure, completely sure, that if we examine all the agricultural activities already set up, we will find a great reserve work force which is not being used. We are also certain that if we profoundly analyze all industrial activities, we will find a great work force not being used. And this includes even the sugar cane sector of Camaguey--practically all the industries, all services, with some exceptions. Camaguey Province has 800,000 inhabitants. It is logical, then, that even though the nonmechanized sugar activities receive assistance from the other provinces, especially in those things related to the harvest--even though the need for a work force has been reduced through greater productivity per man due to lifters, due to the Australian system of cutting, due to the collection centers--there should still be an effort made. But we must ask of the 800,000 inhabitants of Camaguey a maximum effort in attaining the norms, the organization, the capacity so that the other branches of agriculture and industry can be taken care of by Camaguey's own forces, thereby supplying the resources necessary for the development of construction, the functioning of the industries, and the development of the other branches of agriculture lest Camaguey fall into the habit of receiving outside aid. Outside help and a maximum effort from Camaguey--I do not know what opinion the people of Camaguey have on that score; a greater effort by the inhabitants of Camaguey. We are sure that there are great possibilities as far as human resources are concerned. The whole country is also using its resources in Camaguey. For example, this province has, at this time, with the forthcoming brigades now being organized, more than 30--I think it is 30 brigades for roads and paths. There were 21 plus 10 new ones which are now being formed and for which you may have seen the first few vehicles roaming about; new equipment with great capacity that comprises 31 road brigades. What that must mean for a province which, I believe, had none before. some years ago, when a collection center had to be built, a few trucks were rounded up, sent there to make the collection center and the road. This province is, of course, short on communications, with the extra problem that all construction materials for improvements have to be brought from very far away. But now it has 31 road brigades. Certain important projects are being implemented here, such as the Nuevitas plan, which includes a key thermoelectric plant, and a cement factory with a yearly capacity of 600,000 tons. There is a new and important fertilizer plant under construction in the same region. The milk triangle plan is being developed, where huge resources are being used in order to help in the development of this region. There is also a very big reservoir construction brigade which is right now building the Jimaguayu reservoir. Large rice-growing schemes have been implemented in the southern part of the province, huge funds are being poured into the drainage projects. Being a province of plains, it had many problems. The first housing construction brigades are now being formed in different zones. And in the area of Moron a huge force is being organized to move earth so 20 or 25 towns can be built at the same time. A similar housing construction and dairy brigade is being organized in the triangle. A similar force is being organized in the area of Vertientes and Florida and still another such force in the area of Nuevitas. A construction material factory is also being established here; stone mills, sand washers, (?sheet metal) factories functioning according to this system throughout the province. As you can see, both material resources and machines are being used in order to really transform this province. This province must receive many thousands of public housing units. Unfortunately, we are backward in this respect. The original idea was to develop the housing construction during these 3 years, but in truth this was not possible. We had in mind having a larger number of brigade members living in Camaguey. But what was not done then, what was not done by the first brigade contingent, must be done now. We must do it now. Fortunately, during the latter half of the year, we will be in a position to give greater impetus to housing construction, and we are going to give priority to the sugar cane areas. Because we have so much sugar cane in the province, [words indistinct] in those places which are uninviting and remote, we must construct scores of towns, and create all the conditions necessary so that the sugar cane workers can live there. The same thing must be done in the rice-growing areas, which are huge tracts of land, and lonely. These areas must be populated, and this cannot be done without building houses, schools, and roads, and without solving the social problems. But a great impetus can be given to the social development of Camaguey Province with the 31 road brigades which the province will soon have, with the construction of housing, and with the machines which the province will soon have. But all the construction must not be in the Countryside. We have the Nuevitas, where there has been great industrial construction. The time has come to organize the microbrigades in the Nuevitas area for building housing units, using the laborers who are already working at the factories there. We must strive for the organization and working spirit which we have achieved in other areas so that we can solve the housing problem. This must be done in Camaguey and in the sugar mill areas. We want the sugar cane harvest to begin earlier this year. It must be finished by May, by the first days of May of 1972; this so we can tackle all the tasks connected with the need of the harvest, so that we can solve the sugar yield problems. Therefore, this year, we must push the harvest forward. Furthermore, this year there is another reason--the sugar deficit resulting from this harvest. We must shake up for this with the small harvest before the year ends. Also, this will be in order to avoid, at all cost, having crops during the rainy season. You saw the tremendous yield in February, March, and April. It would have been much better to grind in December with a yield of 8 or 8.5, or even 9, instead of grinding in June or July with a yield of 4.5 and 5. There is no arguing this. If agriculture is mechanized, the transportation of the sugar cane will no longer be carried out with oxen, but with machines, through the fields. The system of burning the cane is used. Faster movement is needed between the cutting and the grinding, since we have to harvest during the dry period. When the rains begin we have to carry out innumerable tasks: repair of the mills, sowing, cultivating the cane, and repair of the machinery. That is, we have to hurry the harvest to avoid having to harvest during the rains. Naturally, this year the repair of the pills was delayed. So we have to work hard this year, beginning the harvest early--the next harvest--and complete it before the rains. But, in addition, the country, employs approximately 100,000 workers in the sugar mills during the harvest. For the repair of the mills fewer men are needed and we must seek organized work for those sugar workers when the harvest has ended. We should create conditions in the sugar areas during the dry season, and in the mills, gathering material so that we can employ the excess work force at the end of the harvest in the construction of housing, social installations, in the sugar mills and in the areas of the cane fields. The fact is that we have a great resource consisting of thousands and thousands of workers for employment during part of the year to solve the housing problem and the construction of social installation. So the people of Camaguey, simultaneously with the effort the country is going to make for replacing the column have to make a special effort so that the tasks of transforming Camaguey Province stems from them. Presently they have the means, the resources, [words indistinct], and machinery of all types to achieve it. Never has Camaguey Province had so many resources, so much agricultural, construction, and production machinery. Never have the people of Camaguey had this in their hands. They should decide and desire to use these resources in an adequate manner and change this province. Now that a call has been made, or better not a call but a proposal to the youth who want to remain, they are beginning to build their own houses; those who after resting will scatter throughout the Province of Camaguey to build their houses wherever they go. It is an effort which could have been made at the end. However, starting now, for those who came in the column we have to devote part of the effort to building houses, to building houses to provide an opportunity for the youth of the column who wish to stay in Camaguey to find a more developed Camaguey. [Castro speaks to an individual in the crowd] And you there laughing, you must be thinking of these uninhabited areas, surrounded by ramabu, without any houses, without water, without schools, and without a road. The Camaguey we are thinking about a different Camaguey; A changed Camaguey. With these resources the people of Camaguey will change Camaguey. We do not know what formula it will be possible to apply, but we believe that the people of Camaguey are going to change Camaguey. I do not know if the people of Camaguey believe this, but we believe it. [applause] A lot of work must be done: Construction of a dairy, construction of houses, construction of schools, construction of roads, rebuilding of railroads, which we should do, construction of ports, and the industries which are developing in the north of the province. The first brigade for the building of high schools in Camaguey has already been organized. This first brigade is coming to the area of Ciego de Avila. They are to build schools similar to those of Ceiba, Isla de Pino, Guanes and Jaguey which have recently been inaugurated. High schools must be built for all the students of Camaguey and it is a very good system because it combines work with study. It creates those habits we were talking about: Work and organization and it develops them very early-- from 11 or 12 years of age in the high school. The first brigade is already on its way to organizing it and before the end of the year we should have at least two brigades-- one for building high schools in the citrus areas and one in the pineapple areas, so that this activity in the future can be carried out by the high school students as they are already beginning to do in other areas in the country. They are using their resources, because with a population of 80,000 if the high school students and the primary schools work well, you should have 70,000 to 80,000 students by 1980. There will be no fewer than 70,000 high school students, if a large percentage of the children who are in primary schools today are able to go on to high schools. The Province of Camaguey will have 70,000 high school students in 1980. Do you know what 70,000 high school students means? Do you know what 70,000 students well organized, well instructed, well fed means in terms of production? It is enough to say that high school comrades are very well fulfilling the work norms set by the Labor Ministry. So if you are thinking of the possibilities, you must look to the future and develop education, build schools, and plan production. I am not talking about cane, rice, and cattle, but the development of citrus, pineapple, and vegetables--which can be done by basic secondary students. I want to say that this can be done in the same way with higher levels; preuniversity students and technicians. It must be said that they could do much here in Camaguey. Railroads could be developed and use of heavy machinery could be learned in a technical institute. There is already an agricultural technology school under construction in Camaguey. This will be a very significant step: The university, the teachers schools, the agricultural livestock raising institute, the rural basic secondary schools, the technological institutes located close to industries; a technological institute near such formidable industries as the fertilizer industry, a mid-here level education center near the railroad shops of Camaguey, milk industries must be established in areas devoted mainly to cattle raising; if all these possibilities are analyzed and applied, if future rural and social development is analyzed--the future development of the cities of Camaguey, Nuevitas, (Tio de Arga), Moron, and other cities, their social and elementary school installations, the technological institutes--what else? [answer from the crowd inaudible] Where? What are you saying? Tell me, what do you want? What do you need in [word indistinct]? What are you waiting for? Are you ready to build a school with voluntary work there? Are you willing to construct one? [answer inaudible] Are you willing to build one? On behalf of all parents? Where is the school? Let us see. On what street, section of Camaguey? We are encouraging cooperation and participation of [sentence unfinished] You will have to take care of him so they will not kill him and you will have to talk to the drivers so they do not drive too fast there. Right? Well, what section are you talking about? Tell me the name of the section. [Much shouting from the crowd] No, no, the column will not build it. I have no doubt that you can build it, but you are not teaching them to help in the development of Camaguey. We seek to develop the Camaguey people's initiative. [applause] What section are you talking about? Previsora. [Previsora means foresight] Then this man who wants to begin a movement for the construction of a school is a man of foresight. I am in agreement. However, you should let me finish. I think that with ideas we can begin to find solutions. We were saying that Camaguey thinks of the future, it thinks in terms of the future. We have gone to a lot of work to gather the resources and means which today are available to Camaguey. We have gone to a lot of work, but there are more means here than ever and, I repeat, there are 31 road building brigades. I believe you will be able to solve the economic and social problems of Camaguey. I believe you will be able to reach the Santa Lucia beach. The road will have to be built on the north, from Moron to Nuevitas. The project has not been completed. The comrades were asking what you were doing. We think that in the meantime you could promote the project and complete that road to the Santa Lucia beach which is so loved by the people of Camaguey. [applause] Consequently, you have the means and resources to develop this province. You have the youth, and we have built the primary school and this secondary school. The youths you will have there in the secondary school will be more than double than the columnists present here nowadays, more than double. If you add the technological schools and the mid-higher education centers, you will have at least 100,000 youths, which is almost three times as many as the number of column members in Camaguey today. If cane cutting is mechanized some day, and if at the same time--with the help of social facilities-- we succeed in retaining part of each group in Camaguey, we believe the day will come when Camaguey will not need personnel from other provinces to take care of its activities, its economy, to perform its work. We are sure of this. We think that the Camaguey people--as a matter of honor--should decide when they can perform all the work. The country is willing to help Camaguey, to give it priority in providing machinery, cane cutters; in every aspect, in the collection centers. The country is willing to give Camaguey priority in the allotment of resources. However, in the last 10 years it has always become necessary to mobilize a large number of persons to this area. We must create conditions so at least at a more or less distant date the Camaguey people will be able to take care of their province. This is a duty of the Camaguey people. And what do the students say? Oh, are they carrying that flag? What does the flag say? The Camaguey FEU [Federation of University Students] What do you say? [sentences indistinct] I think that the best honor we can bestow today in this ceremony to bid farewell to the column youths is to plan, to think about the future, to delve deep, analyze, and consider it an honor for this province when the day will come when it can manage its natural resources and its industries by itself. This requires machinery, work productivity, goals, organization. But I am sure you can do this. I am also sure that you will do the country a great service when Camaguey has its own human resources. We imagine that by this date Camaguey will have developed these plans we are speaking about much more. We have these resources and they are in your hands. There are great needs for housing. It is within your capability to solve these housing problems. Currently we already have a plant that will produce (?200,000) tons of cement. When will Camaguey use all this cement? No one is setting limits. You yourself are setting the limits as you are able to organize to build houses. We have resources, means, and the limits are set by you, the people of Camaguey. This is a fact. It is within your capability to solve problems dealing with water, schools, roads, sewers. You set your own limits. You cannot expect anyone to do this for you, as the rest of the country is cooperating with Camaguey and today supports it with all possible resources. You will have to do the rest, and we expect the Camaguey people will do this. Today, as we bid farewell to the column youths, we hope you will become aware of these problems. There is another area in which we set no limits to the Camaguey people: You can win over all the column members who come to Camaguey. You can win all you want. [applause] No one is setting a limit in this regard. [applause] If you recruit 33,000, you may recruit them all. Say, how well you have treated the columnists, 500 of whom will remain here. What? Up to now you have recruited [much noise from the crowd]. They take whom? The Camaguey girls. Is that so? [voice from the crowd: They have taken a few] Well, the Camaguey girls do not have very good persuasive powers. They have forgotten to protect Camaguey's interests. We will have to stipulate conditions. We might talk to the Justice Ministry comrades and stipulate a condition: Column members may marry Camaguey girls if they remain in Camaguey. [crowd laughs] But instead of bringing Havana and Oriente girls here they take the Camaguey girls away. We are not grateful for that! In any event, when I say recruit I mean general recruiting. If you treat them right they will bring their wives. I am not saying that Camaguey girls should win over the column members. In the development of this province, in the solution of all these social problems, you can provide acceptable pleasant facilities to many of the youths who come here to Camaguey. I am sure that if many had homes here they would remain in Camaguey. I am sure of this. This is one of the problems that must be solved now in many provinces--and it will take many years. But you Camaguey people hurry, because as the other provinces resolve their housing problems you will not recruit anyone to remain. Consequently, you will have to think of these possibilities and take advantage of the opportunity. The maximum cooperation of the Camaguey people must be achieved. e The party comrades--for example comrade Acevedo--have fallen in love with Camaguey. Despite the headaches he has had here in the sugar cane harvest, he still loves this place. He is very enthusiastic about Camaguey. Maximum cooperation must be given to the leading comrades, to comrade Acevedo, and the province party comrades. Oh, we must say something: The province did a wonderful job in concluding the planting of spring cane and has overfulfilled the plan by 34 caballerias. [applause] We must say that you are doing well in the rice area, developing the rice plans quite well. Next year you will have a 200-million cubic meter dam. This year the dam has 50 million cubic meters of water and it will be used in the rice plans. The cattle raising plans are moving well also--the rectangular, triangular plan. [Castro laughs] There is much to be done, Is this not so? When one is flying in a plane and looks down one can still see marabu areas in Camaguey. However, little by little we will defeat nature and little by little we will change and develop this province so people will be proud to live here. You are a Camaguey girl? You too? What do you think-- that there are moral and honorable resources in Camaguey for all this? Is this not so? [applause] I think that the columnist youths have given us a good example of what can be done. The fact that we have macheteros--more than 300-who have cut 100,000 arrobas, that we have nine who have exceeded 300,000 arrobas, is something truly extraordinary. The fact that we have some 300 brigades which have out more than I million arrobas and that some, like the heroes of Bolivia, which have out 8 million arrobas and the [word indistinct] Agramonte 7 million arrobas [applause] is undoubtedly very encouraging. These youths do not seem to be stronger than the rest. What? He is 19 years old? These men are made of flesh and bone and have cut 300,000 arrobas. Naturally, this requires good physical stamina and something more important--will, courage, honor, perseverance, firmness, tenacity, awareness. One needs physical stamina to cut 200,000 to 300,000 arrobas. Above all, one needs revolutionary awareness to perform such a feat. Therefore, the columnists leave their example here, and this is a truly extraordinary example, an historic example. This machete is without doubt an historic machete because nowhere have 300,000 arrobas been out in the time in which they out them. This has never happened anywhere. Consequently, this is possibly the first machete that has cut 300,000 arrobas in the history of cane. Then it is an historic machete as the Mambises machete, the centennial machete. At the end of 100 years we find men who have made such an effort and we have seen represented the first effort of the Cubans who used the machete as a weapon, who employed the machete charge as their main maneuver against the enemy. These youths, when they became the most productive force in Cuba in canecutting, we must say have performed the machete charge, a charge worthy of our Mambises, worthy of our 100 years of struggle, worthy of our revolution. [applause] All of us are very pleased to recall this and see these positive and encouraging actions. Consequently, we can congratulate our communist youth for this magnificent effort made by many of them. We congratulate you wholeheartedly. We express the people's sentiment of admiration, a sentiment of recognition, the admiration and recognition of our party. We congratulate you wholeheartedly, we thank you with all our hearts and with all our hearts we urge you to remain strong, perservering, to make the maximum effort and never abandon the battlefield, never desert, never give up your objectives because these are the virtues that must be possessed by revolutionaries. These are the virtues [applause] that made possible the free fatherland. [applause] These are the virtues which made the revolution possible; these are the virtues that are needed to forge ahead, to overcome underdevelopment, to defeat the blockade, to make the dreams of our people a reality, to make the dreams and programs of the revolution a reality. Your example must be publicized. Your example must be imitated. This is the way a revolution is made. This is the way a fatherland is built. Fatherland or death. We will win! -END-