THE CUBA REVIEW 



HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE 



February 21st, 1919. 



CUBAN CONGRESS: In our last letter we mentioned that Congress had ap- 

 proved the bill repealing the obligatory military service law and we would now add that 

 upon reaching the President the bill was signed by him and became a law. The Presi- 

 dent, however, vetoed the bill repealing the subsistence law doing away with the Food 

 Administration Board. In explanation of this action he informed Congress that he 

 did so because of the immense quantities of flour which have been coming consigned 

 to the Food Administration Board and also on account of the large stocks of the 

 footwear known as "National Economical Footwear" made up in line with the specifi- 

 cations of the Cuban Government for the purpose of supplying an inexpensive grade. 

 The President further stated that the repealing of the present law would cause a large 

 loss to the Cuban Government in connection with these two articles, but that if this 

 could be avoided in some manner on the part of Congress, then there would be no 

 objection to making operative a law repealing the subsistence law. There has been 

 presented in the House of Representatives the text of a bill prohibiting the manu- 

 facture or sale of alcoholic beverages in Cuba. The bill is similar to the prohibition 

 measure recently approved in the United States, but no definite action has yet been 

 taken regarding same. 



CUBAN FOOD ADMINISTRATION BOARD MATTERS: Various restrictions 

 placed by this Board upon the handling of foodstuffs have been modified since our last 

 advices. Breadless Mondays became a thing of the past in line with a decree signed 

 by the Food Administrator on Jan. 17th, but Havana continued for a while without 

 bread on that day as the bakers refused to bake on Sunday the bread required for 

 Monday's consumption. 



Also, merchants here are now allowed to import flour in their own names and 

 shipped by the mills instead of having it come through the United States Food 

 Administration Grain Corporation consigned to the Food Administration Board here, 

 as has been the case for some time past, although export licenses are still required 

 to be taken out in the United States before making shipment. 



There is still a very large quantity of flour on hand which came consigned to the 

 Food Administration Board, the amount of which at one time recently was reported 

 to be as high as 300,000 sacks. In order to use up this stock the Food Administrator 

 has just signed a decree that the flour importers must take out two sacks of the Food 

 Administration flour for each sack which they import direct. 



The control exercised by the Food Administration Board over the handling of 

 coal has also lately been relinquished and importers can now supply their customers 

 without securing approval of the Board. 



PROPOSED GOVERNMENT WHARF: The Cuban Government has recently 

 been importing supplies for its army in full cargo lots consigned directly to the army. 

 Due to the great congestion at all wharves and warehouses located around the Bay, 

 these cargoes have been deposited in the former San Ambrosio hospital, which build- 

 ing is being occupied by the army as its storehouse, and it is stated that a wharf will 

 be built at that point to accommodate steamers when discharging similar cargoes 

 here. 



RIVER PLATE SERVICE: A British steamer arrived here the latter part of 

 January directly from Buenos Aires and Montevideo with a large cargo of tasajo, 

 corn, etc. Shortly after the war broke out this service operating with British ships 

 was discontinued, although from time to time sailing vessels have arrived with such 

 cargoes. 



