THE CUBA REVIEW 



HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE 



]favan:i, Jan. o, 1918. 

 The Cuban Congress is not now in session on accovint of the holidays. Among the princi- 

 pal measures pending is the question of obHgatory mihtary service, which has not been settled. 

 The general stafT of the army has reported to the President recommending that all Cubans 

 between the ages of 20 and 30 should spend 2 years in active service and afterwards be on the 

 reserve list eight years additional. Undoubtedly early action will be taken on this matter 

 when Congress reconvenes. The amnesty bill is also hanging fire. Cuba declared war on 

 Austria-Hungary on Dec. 14th following the action of the United States. 



"^^ On Dec. 10th the black list of firms in Cuba was made i)ubli(; by the T'nited States Gov- 

 ernment, consisting of the following Havana firms: 



J. F. Berndes & Co. Consuelo Schwab 



Alberto Epjiinger Seeler Pi & Co. 



Cia. Anoninia lOlectro .Vlcniana-Cubana Sastre e Hijo 



Nicolas Castano • Francisco Suarez 



Juan Font & Co. M. Tillmann & Co. 



T. Gabarde H. Toennies 



Juan Gutierrez H. Upmann & Co. 



Michaelsen & Prasse Zabrida Rios & Co. 



J. Garcia More Ricardo Rintelen 



M. Paetzold & Co. , German Rodriguez 



Manuel Pi Pedro Gomez Mena 



Santamaria Saenz tt Co. German Prasse 



Daniel Ballenilla 

 And in Cienfuegos: 



Amador Bangochea Manuel Revuelta 



Since then the names of Pedro Gomez Mena and Santamaria Saenz & Co. have been 

 removed from the black list. It is reported that Cuba will prepare a similar list, but no definite 

 statements have yet been made in this connection. 



The present sugar season is well started with very favorable prospects for a record crop, 

 as has already been stated, which it is hoped will amount to three and a half millions. A great 

 many more mills are now grinding than there were in operation at the same time last year, 

 and every effort is being made to turn out the sugar as rapidly as possible and get it to the 

 Northern markets. Large numbers of laborers to work in the cane fields are arri\dng from 

 Haiti and also from the Canary Islands, this in addition to Chinese laborers. It is stated that 

 the present crop will move out over a period of 11 months instead of 7 or 8 months as customary. 

 This longer time means that the sugar will be held awaiting shipment longer than usual, thus 

 forcing the producers here to borrow additional funds to tide them over the time while the 

 sugar is awaiting shipment. 



The U.S. Shipping Board, which will attend to the furnishing of steamers for the carrying of 

 the Cuban sugar crop, have fixed the freight rates from Cuban to American ports, some of the 

 rates being as follows : 



From Havana, Matanzas, Cardenas and Caibarien for New York and Philadelphia, 383^c. 

 per 100 lbs. For New Orleans from the same ports, 323/^c. For Savannah and Galveston 

 from the same ports, 36c. For Boston from the same ports, 44 He. Rates from ports on the 

 southern coast of Cuba are greater, varjang from 45 to 50 cents per 100 lbs. 



As a result of conferences had between President Menocal, representatives of the Cuban 

 planters and also of the International Sugar Committee, a contract has just been closed for the 

 purchase of the present sugar crop by the U. S. Government, the amount being two and a half 

 million tons, the prices being given as 4.55 and 4.50. Should the total crop amount to three 

 million tons, the Committee has the right to make additional purchases next April or May. 



