POWER IN CUBA In the same speech Castro denounced the youth for wear1ng «extravagant foreign fashions» [too tight pants and long hair in the case of boys; too short mini-skirts in the case of girls] lik1ng «decadent literaturei>. In some cases. . . « ... the youth were used by counter-revolutionaries against the Revolution ... » Castro found Hes'idual manifestationsi> of prostitution and homosexuality. In 1967, minors participated in 41 % of all crimes committed in the nation. Four years later the percentage rises to 50 % ... » (16). «... in 1972, Joe Nicholson Junior, a sympathetic journalist to wear long hair. The official answered that if one boy is allowed to be different in hair, dress or behavior, the rest might request the right to be difterent too. This, in turn, would create controversy, something that was considered incorrect ... i> (17). Measures to correct this situation included compulsory mllitary service, military units to aid production, and to work in construction, irrigation and other projects. Nevertheless, it was reported that the number of youngsters in the 13 to 16 year bracket who commltted offenses remalned unchanged. Castro alleged that the high juvenile delinquency rate was due to the fact that they were exempted from criminal punishments by the courts. In May 1973, Iegal llability was reduced from 18 to 16 years and tough penalties up to life imprisonment were imposed for crimes against the national economy, abnormal sexual behavior and other offenses. « ... The dropout problem was partially solved through the SMO (compulsory military service) and the Youth Centennial Columns. The SMO recruits numbered 300,000 ln 1972 (about one third of all youngsters between 16 and 17). In 1973 both these youth organizations were merged lnto the Youth Army of Work EJT ... » (18). Pllght of the Workers THE PROMISED abolition of bouse rents and increaslng wages ot the lowest pald workers was not kept. Likewise, full pay for sick and retired workers was eliminated. There was (16) Mesa-Lago, ibid., pgs. 93 to 96. <17> Mesa-Lago, ibid., p. 97. 08) Meaa-Lago, ibid., p. 96. 55
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