-DATE-
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
CASTRO SPEAKS BEFORE 600,000 WORKERS
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
PARIS, AFP
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
-TEXT-
CASTRO SPEECH
PARIS AFP RADIOTELETYPE IN SPANISH TO AGENCY OFFICES 1039 3/23 E
(TEXT)  HAVANA--PREMIER CASTRO, SPEAKING LAST NIGHT BEFORE SOME 600,000
WORKERS GATHERED OUTSIDE THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT
OF THE LAWS OF THE REVOLUTION, SAID HE DISAGREED WITH THE IDEAS EXPRESSED
BY FORMER COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT JOSE FIGUERES, WHO HAD SPOKEN BEFORE THE
PREMIER AT THE CEREMONY.  FIGUERES SAID HE HAD NOTED A CERTAIN LACK OF
CONCERN IN LATIN AMERICA OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF A WORLD WAR AND THAT WHEN
LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES TALKED TO NORTH AMERICAN ABOUT ECONOMIC AID, THEY
DID SO IN A THREATENING TONE, WITHOUT BEARING IN MIND THAT THE UNITED
STATES WOULD CARRY THE BURDEN OF THE DEFENSE OF THE NEW WORLD AGAINST ANY
TOTALITARIAN THREAT.

CASTRO ASKED WHY ALL OF AMERICA SHOULD JOIN ONE OF THE SIDES IN THE
COLD WAR, AND WHY "NOT LIVE FREE UNTIL THEY KILL US?"  HE SAID THAT NORTH
AMERICA HAS A NAVAL BASE IN CUBA WHERE IT HAS BOMB SHELTERS AND DEFENSES
"WHILE HERE WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A LITTLE HOLD."

CASTRO SAID THAT IN ALL WARS CUBA HAS BEEN ASKED FOR SUGAR AND THEN
WHEN THE WARS ENDED CUBA'S SUGAR QUOTA WAS REDUCED.  HE ADDED THAT NORTH
AMERICA SENT 500-POUND BOMBS TO THE TYRANT BATISTA AND SOLD HIM TANKS AND
AIRPLANES SO THAT HE MIGHT REMAIN IN POWER.
-END-