Barking at Big Brother

Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion was alive with masses of Cubans obediently chanting slogans and cheering their bearded leader. It was the sixth anniversary of Fidel Castro's rise to power --presumably a time for triumphant muscle flexing. But this year's military parade was whittled to 30 minutes, instead of an hour, and Castro's speech was almost subdued. "Parades," said he, "are very expensive, and it is natural that in concluding the Year of the Economy we save expenses."

Since 1959, Cuba's gross national product has dwindled by 15% , the sugar crop has slipped 45% , the country's foreign debt--owed mostly to the Soviet Union--has ballooned to $2 billion. Worse still, Cuba's relations with Moscow are going from bumptious to bad.

Castro has never forgiven the Kremlin for pulling its nuclear rockets out of Cuba without so much as a by-your-leave. He chafes at the unfavorable trade terms demanded by the Russians, ignores the attempts by his Iron Curtain advisers to impose order on his chaotic, Latin-tempered regime. "We have no need to go around borrowing brains from anyone," said Castro. "Nor do we have any need of borrowing heads, bravery, revolutionary spirit, heroism or intelligence. We live in a changing world, and it is necessary that each country know how to interpret the Marxist-Leninist doctrine for itself."

The Cubans, of course, are not about to tear up their Soviet meal ticket. But the Russians may be tired of watching $1,000,000 a day sink out of sight in the Caribbean, and they have yet to make a 1965 trade agreement with Cuba. While loudly proclaiming his independence, Castro made a point of telling his people that Cuba could carry on without Russian aid. "I absolutely do not have the slightest doubt that the country could survive such trials." He later announced a new five-year trade pact with Communist China, exchanging Cuban sugar for Chinese machines, rice, canned meats and textiles.

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