ANNOUNCES MAJOR AID FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS IN CUBA
In a message to Fidel Castro, released by Tass October 24, Khrushchev announced that "the Central Committee of the Communist party and the Soviet government, having taken into consideration the extent of the damage suffered by the Cuban people due to the tropical hurricane Flora, have decided to grant disinterested aid,"
Besides the help already earmarked for Cuba, the Soviet sovernment has decided to send the following:
-~- A complete plant for the manufacture of prefabricated large-size homes as well as all the blueprints and technical help necessary to install it.
-- Giant earth movers, bulldozers, cranes and heavy trucks to help the Cubans reconstruct devastated structures,
-- Thirty thousand tons of cement, 20,000 cubic meters of wood, 100,000 square meters of glass and 100° kilometers of wire,
-- Linen, canned meat, animal fat and dehydrated potatoes.
-- Five million meters of. cloth, ready-made clothing and 250,000 pairs of. shoes, .
In addition, Cuban orders placed for 1964 will be speeded up. Before the end of 1963, the Soviet Union will deliver 5,000 tons of canned meat,
1,000 tons of canned milk, 900 tons of butter, 8,500 tons of-edible oil, baby food, and a series of other products.
In his message, Khrushchev said that "the courage and stoicism with which the Cuban people have tackled the grievous consequences of this natural catastrophe ‘has inspired sincere respect among all the peoples of the USSR.'
Radio Moscow reported that twenty Soviet ships are on their way to Cuba with supplies for the victims of the hurricane.
In Havana the Institute of Agrarian Reform announced the arrival of 1,500 tons of coffee bought in Brazil by the Soviet Union for the people of Cuba,