THE CUBA REVIEW 11 



in the streets only made matters worse. However, after a few days the city manned 

 the garbage wagons with prisoners from the jails and managed to maintain some 

 kind of a service. 



The Government promptly offered to arbitrate the points at issue between capital 

 and labor, but would not do so unless the strikers would return to their customary 

 work during the arbitration, to which the strikers were not agreeable, with the result 

 that a week elapsed before a satisfactory adjustment was reached. There was no 

 bloodshed on account of the strike until the last days when, in view of the street car 

 company resuming service with strikebreakers, who were stoned by the strikers, shots 

 were fired between the latter and the police with some casualties on both sides. A 

 policeman was killed later. 



During the progress of the strike an American cruiser and two gunboats accom- 

 panied by some ten submarine chasers came over from Key West, and it was rumored 

 that marines would be landed to patrol the city and assist in maintaining peace, but 

 fortunately the situation did not become serious enough to necessitate such action. 

 It was also reported that the Liberal party was anxious to cause embarrassment to 

 the Conservative party, which is the one in power, and that they would submit to an 

 intervention on the part of the American Government or even take such steps as 

 might be necessary to provoke such action. 



As a result of the discontinuance of all kinds of transportation, with the exception 

 of the few street cars previously referred to, the wharves became congested with 

 imports which could not be taken care of and a large number of steamers were tied up 

 in the bay on account of inability to discharge. The employment of prisoners to work 

 on the wharves was not attempted as was done during the former strike, for their 

 work does not appear to have been satisfactory, and, therefore, the warehouse com- 

 panies did not care to make use of them. In view of this situation on Mar. 13th the 

 American Minister, Hon. Wm. E. Gonzales, issued the following notice to the news- 

 papers of Havana: 



"I have recommended to my government that it suspend the departure of 

 cargo boats for the harbor of Havana until the present congestion of the wharves 

 is relieved, notifying it at the same time that in other harbors of the Republic 

 present conditions are not as serious as in this. 



"The present strike has aggravated the congestion of the docks in this harbor 

 but it has not been the direct or the principal cause thereof. A very serious con- 

 gestion existed prior to the strike so that many steamers of American registry 

 were in harbor from five to fifteen days without being able to start unloading. 



"It is my opinion that this uneconomic and wasteful condition will recur fre- 

 quently as long as the direct cause is not removed, wdiich is that the majority of 

 merchants who import bulky merchandise have not premises adequate for storing 

 their goods and hence they continue using the wharves and adjacent warehouses 

 which, with the slow withdrawals, prove insufficient for the commerce of the 

 harbor. The present system may be convenient for a few, but in natural conse- 

 quence must redound to the harm of all." 



Harbor conditions have, of course, eased up some since the strike ended but there is 

 still considerable congestion. 



As this last general strike lasted several days longer than the former one, many 

 of the unions which went out from a sympathetic standpoint finally began to realize 

 that they were prejudicing themselves wdthout any corresponding gain, therefore, no 

 time was lost in returning to work when a basis of settlement was finally arrived at 

 between employers and laborers through the mediation of President Menocal. Also 

 it is generally predicted that it will not be an easy matter to bring on a general strike 

 again, as many of the unions have had all they want of striking merely to assist other 

 similar elements to make gains at their expense. The railroad workmen, however, 

 were not satisfied with the situation and service on rail lines was not normal until a 

 few days after the other workers had returned to their places. There is still dis- 



