10 THE CUBA REVIEW 



thereafter somewhat relieved by the distribution of flour here to the various bakeries 

 and Havana was again enjoying bread in limited quantities until the general strike 

 took place last week, but the bakers are now once more supplying bread. 



Due to the general strike here there occurred a shortage of condensed milk and 

 as a result the Food Administrator ordered the confiscation of all shipments on the 

 wharves for the purpose of distributing the milk to the public hospitals and asylums. 



CUBAN FOOD ADMINISTRATION: There have been no particular food regu- 

 lations made effective since our last writing, although we have elsewhere referred to 

 a decree issued by this body announcing that the licenses of public establishments 

 such as cafes and restaurants would be revoked if they persisted in closing their doors 

 during the general strike here. Also, another decree was published transferring im- 

 ports of merchandise from the wharves to the former convents of Santo Domingo 

 and Santa Catalina with the idea of thereby relieving congestion on the wharves 

 caused by the general strike and inability to take the merchandise away. All ship- 

 ments of flour from the United States to Cuba continue to be made by the Food Ad- 

 ministration Grain Corporation consigned to their order notify Armando Andre, Cuban 

 Food Administrator, although efforts are being made to get permission to allow the 

 mills to ship direct to the importers, as formerly. 



AMERICAN WAR TRADE BOARD: The Havana office of this Board has not 

 announced any new regulations during the past month so far as we know, and it is 

 understood that their staff will be considerably reduced as their work has been less- 

 ened since the signing of the armistice. 



EDIFICE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE MARK REGISTRATION 

 BUREAU: Newspaper advices from Washington are to the effect that a building to 

 house this Bureau will be erected in Havana at a cost of approximately $1,000,000. 

 Several years ago this Bureau was organized by the various republics of North and 

 South America in connection with the matter of registration of trade marks in these 

 different countries and an agreement was reached with the South American republics 

 that their headquarters would be located at Rio de Janeiro, to which end a building 

 would be erected there, while the countries of North America would establish a 

 similar center in Havana and an appropriate edifice would be built here for that pur- 

 pose. This trade mark bureau has since been operating here and the building first 

 referred to above will provide suitable quarters to carry on this work. 



BANCO MERCANTIL AMERICANO DE CUBA: Announcement has been 

 made that this new bank with a capital and surplus of $2,500,000 organized by the 

 Mercantile Bank of the Americas in connection with the Guaranty Trust Co. of New 

 York, will shortly open for business in Havana. 



STRIKES: In our last letter we referred to a strike of the various unions of 

 bay workmen in Havana, which was called off on Nov. 18th. About the same time 

 there was a strike of the employees of the Cuba Railroad with headquarters at 

 Camaguey, due to their demanding the reinstatement of certain empoyees who had 

 been discharged by the management and which the latter refused to consider. As an 

 agreement could not be arrived at between the railroad and the strikers and the 

 situation was daily becoming more acute, causing considerable prejudice, particularly 

 in connection with the sugar mills whose grinding season begins in December, the 

 Government appointed a committee to investigate the subject with the result that an 

 understanding was arrived at between the two sides on Dec. 10th and the strike was 

 declared ended. There had been talk of a general strike in Havana and other Island 

 ports as well, if the demands of the Cuba Railroad strikers were not complied with, 

 and an anonymous committee calling themselves the "Comite Circunstancial" which 

 cannot be translated other than "Circumstantial Committee", announced that if the 

 Cuba Railroad strike was not settled by the night of Dec. 9th, they would declare a 

 general strike in Havana, this notice being given a couple of days before. Such did 



