Inside Report (4)

Almost forgotten these days are the 355 Cubans still housed in the old US Embassy building in Havana. The Cubans took refuge in the building 12 weeks ago. Since then the 20 US citizens who make up the interests section have been playing host to the 258 men , 80 women, and 17 children in the group. Perhaps 85 percent of the men are former political prisoners.

Life has become routine for the Cubans who have organized themselves into brigades for cleaning, cooking, and maintaining order. The US, for its part, is supplying food and other amenities to the tune of about $15,000 weekly.

Just how long the Cubans will stay in the embassy remains to be seen. Wayne Smith, chief of the US mission in Havana, says "all we need is [Fidel] Castro's OK for the group to leave."m