14 THE CUBA REVIEW 



OIL WELLS: We might remark in passing that there have been no new de- 

 velopments in this connection since our last advices. 



LABOR SITUATION: While there is no actual strike among the laborers in 

 Havana at the present writing, with the exception of the Unions of linotype operators 

 and job printers, the situation is uncertain as there is likelihood of strikes or even 

 another general strike at any time. Both the United Railways and the Havana 

 Central Railroad Co. have been treating with their employes for some time past in 

 an endeavor to reach an agreement as to wages to be paid, etc., but have not yet 

 arrived at a satisfactory settlement on all the various points at issue. The street 

 railway company is also in a similar situation, although not so acute. Apparently 

 what makes it difficult for employers to arrive at a satisfactory understanding with 

 their labor is that the latter start out their negotiations by demanding the concession 

 of certain points, which have often been yielded by the employers in the belief that 

 this would avoid a strike, but no sooner have these been granted than the laborers 

 come forward with additional and unreasonable demands. There also seems to be a 

 disposition on the part of the laboring elements to have a continual state of strikes 

 in effect, in other words, no sooner is one strike settled than another one comes up. 

 The brick masons and their helpers, carpenters, etc., threatened a general strike, but 

 in this instance their employers have gotten ahead of them in that they have declared 

 a lockout in these building trades and have themselves shut down all construction 

 work in Havana until a satisfactory agreement may be reached between the two sides. 



AEROPLANE MAIL AND PASSENGER SERVICE: Newspapers have recently 

 reported the organization of a company to operate such a service between Key West 

 and Havana, although no definite details are yet available. However, in view of 

 reports of similar services to be established in the United States, it is not beyond 

 reason to expect something of the kind may be extended to Cuba. 



CARNIVAL OF 1919: Havana has not held her usual winter Carnival since the 

 Great War began, but it is announced that there will be such a season this year and 

 the Mayor has appointed a committee to work on the program and report on same. 



OIL BURNER STEAMERS: It is stated that the Empresa Naviera de Cuba, in 

 view of the difficulty they have had with their firemen, will change all their steamers 

 over into oil burners. The first of these, the "Santiago de Cuba", is now being altered 

 to use oil burners. 



ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL SERVICES: The news of the death of Ex-President 

 Theodore Roosevelt was received here with genuine sorrow. Many places of business 

 were closed for the balance of that day and Congress met in a special memorial 

 session, the following day being declared by presidential decree one of national 

 mourning. A bill was passed by Congress appropriating $175,000 for a monument to 

 be erected to the memory of Theodore Roosevelt symbolizing the establishment by 

 him of the Republic of Cuba on May 20th, 1902, and a committee will be appointed to 

 pass upon the competitive designs, for the presentation of which a period of one 

 year will be allowed. It was further resolved by Congress to place a bronze tablet 

 in a place to be later designated in the new Capitol building, on which tablet will be 

 embodied the proclamation of President Roosevelt on May 10th, 1902, advising the 

 President and Congress of the Republic of Cuba that on May 20th of that year the 

 American intervention would cease and Cuba would be turned over to her own people 

 for government. Also, an appropriation of $12,000 was made to purchase a wreath of 

 laurel to be cast in bronze and laid upon the tomb of the Ex-President, as well as 

 another appropriation of $5,000 to cover the cost of planting a tree beside his tomb 

 from the historic Peace Tree on San Juan Hill in memory of the part taken by 

 Colonel Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War. 



At the same time Congress was making these appropriations, the City Council 

 of Havana appropriated $25,000 for the erection of a statue to Theodore Roosevelt, 



