This was the conclusion in a States-Item opinion poll of seven New Orleans residents representing Guatemala, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Cuba.
Three suggested using force to' free the prisoners.
But all who opposed dealing with Castro acknowledged that they might react differently if their own relatives were among the prisoners.
"This is plain blackmail" said Dr. Ernest Huete, a longtime local dentist of Nicaraguan birth. "We should not in anyway accommodate his demands. It would set a bad precedent."
Dr. Huete believes that Castro is simply trying to exploit the sentimentality and generosity of the American people. He thinks that if' the new price of 562 million is met, Castro simply would increase the price again.
"He would be like an insatiable dragon," he said. "You would never be able to satisfy his whims."
FATHER MAURICIO ESCARBO, a Uruguayan who is now a philosphy professor at Loyola
university offered similar sentiments.
The man is absolutely crazy," said Father Escardo. "He thinks he is powerful and simply wants to impress this on us. Without a doubt, he would become more and more demanding."
John E. Sencial, local political figure and businessman of Guatemalan birth, termed the increased demands "piracy."
"We should try to get the prisoners back by force," he said. "I believe that a show of force would actually help our prestige in Latin America. The little man in Latin America would like that and would admire our determination in attempting to get rid of the common enemy."
SENCIAL FELT that if Castro's price were paid, Castro might become bold enough to kidnap Cubans who have come to the U. S.—and try to
sell them back to us.
Angel Cueva, an Eeuadorean lawyer and politician who now operates a local freight - forwarding business and a Spanish-language newspaper, also urged intervention.
"Forceful intervention is justified when one country is a threat to many others," Cueva said.
"If he were paid, other dictators would see that Castro had succeeded in blackmail, and might try it themselves. It wouldn't be safe for an American to leave the country." he added.
Al Alice, foreign trade director for the state commerce and industry department and a native of Costa Rica, said:
"I hate to be a hard man, but if we meet his terms, there will never be an end to it. What will prevent him from asking for $260,000,000 next? Nothing."
Alice also advocated forceful release of the prisoners, and also feared that other would-be dictators would try Castro's play if his demands were met.
DR RAUL REYES, local surgeon 'of Honduran birth and now president of the city's largest Latin organization, the Honduran club, offered a plan for turning Castro's demands into a propaganda advantage. "The U. S. should take no part whatsoever in raising the money," Dr. Reyes said. "Instead, we should encourage fund drives in the Latin American countries. It would be a big blow to Castro if these countries went all out to save the prisoners."
Dr. Reyes said he thought that force would accomplish nothing.
"We should try everything humanly possible, short of violence, to free them," he said. A view by a Cuban refugee with a very personal interest in the prisoner deal was given by Mrs. Paulette Fowler, husband, Alberto Fowler, is one of the prisoners.
Speaking strictly as an individual, she said she thought "any price is worth it, as long as we get them back."
She was the only Latin polled who did not describe Castro's new and higher price as blackmail.
"This is not blackmail, it is a trade," she said. "After all, the U. S. traded Abel, the Soviet spy, for Gary Powers." PHOTO: MR. ALICE; MR. SENCIAL; MR. CUEVA; MRS. FOWLER; FR. ESCARDO; DR. HUETE; DR. REYES
