Creative Stage?

Fidel Castro's revolution had never moved at higher speed. Grinding out decree after decree last week, the Prime Minister ordered some 500 prisoners turned over to civilian courts, promised to restore the right of habeas corpus within 90 days, reopened the University of Havana, confiscated the holdings of 117 firms (mostly construction companies that gave kickbacks to the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista). This week, Castro transported the entire Cuban Cabinet into the Sierra Maestra country, where his revolution began, and promulgated his pet law--land reform. He brought along $1,000,000 to make the first farm loans.

"Cuba now enters the creative stage," announced Castro. "We must begin leaving behind the bitter stage of executions and punishments." Last week was the first since Jan. i in which not a single Cuban died in front of a firing squad. Castro also seemed more willing to quarrel with the Reds around him. His mouthpiece, Revolution, denounced the Communists for trying "to climb on the bandwagon of the revolution and detour it from the path." Undeterred, a top Chilean Red, Luis Cor-valan, declared: "We must march with the bourgeoisie, and Cuba is the example." While Communists praised the revolution, many moderate Cubans who supported Castro from the start are losing faith. "It's a swindle," said a prosperous Havana professional man. These former Castro supporters deplore his confiscating land decrees, the conduct of some of his men and the course of his government. Castro soldiers careen about the city in Jeeps with guns in their belts and girls at their sides. Armed Forces Chief Raul Castro is living in a $220,000 mansion confiscated from a crony of Batista.

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