VISAS AND CUBA

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

Having read with interest your editorial, "Kennedy's Press Ban," in your issue of the 26th, I would like to call your attention to a rather pertinent point in this whole situation.

As you have correctly reported. I did write that the Bay of Pigs disaster could have been avoided if the Administration had shown greater interest in the newsmen's estimates of the Cuban situation at the time. At this time, I also feel that our national understanding of the Cuban problem could be immensely aided by the presence of U.S. correspondents in Cuba.

But the problem here is Castro, not Kennedy. With extremely few exceptions (I think three since last October), the Cuban government has consistently, refused to grant visas to American newsmen. Personally, I am among a large number of U.S. reporters--most of whom had attempted to report Cuba objectively in the past--who have seen their visa applications repeatedly turned down. It is my understanding that the State Department does not refuse a passport clearance to any newsman who has a Cuban visa.

Since I agree with you on the necessity of restoring independent American reporting of Cuba, I thought it would be useful to make this clarification. Tad Szuic   Washington Bureau   New York Times