12 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



THE LABOR SITUATION 



The third general strike that Cuba has 

 faced within the last six months began at 

 midnight on March 5th, when it was 

 estimated that 75,000 men quit work. 

 The strike was a result of the failure of 

 the building trades unions to effect a set- 

 tlement of their demands for an eight- 

 hour day, a Saturday half-holiday, and a 

 considerable increase in wages. Traffic 

 in Havana was paralyzed except for a 

 few taxicabs and private automobiles. 

 The employes of the government-con- 

 trolled railways and ferries were out and 

 work in the harbor was at a standstill. 



President Menocal met the labor lead- 

 ers on March 7th and recommended that 

 the strikers return to their work, leaving 

 to him the settlement of their difficulties, 

 but, while many strikers favored this 

 course, it was decided to continue striking 

 until a decision was reached regarding 

 the masons, who had been out for two 

 months. The unions demanded further 

 that all non-union railroad employes be 

 discharged. On March 10th, the joint 

 committee representing unions involved 

 in the strike voted to accept the proposal 

 presented by President Menocal, thus 

 terminating the conflict. The vote was 

 taken after a heated debate lasting eight 

 hours. 



HAVANA MARKET 



A model market, to cost $2,400,000, is 

 to be constructed in Havana to take the 

 place of the old-time market places and 

 street markets scattered about the city. 

 The new market will be constructed of 

 marble. 



Havana now has only one central build- 

 ing, the Colon Market, located in the 

 heart of the city, but dark, poorly venti- 

 lated and unsanitary. The other, the 

 "Plaza de Vapores", or "Tacon" market 

 was closed recently by the city health 

 authorities because of unsanitary condi- 

 tions. 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



In order to determine more closely the 

 extent of deposits of copper, manganese 

 and chrome in the Island of Cuba, the 

 Department of Agriculture, Commerce 

 and Labor of Cuba is endeavoring to ob- 



tain the co-operation of the United States 

 Geological Survey. Sr. George Reno, 

 Chief of the Bureau of Information of the 

 Department, has been sent to the United 

 States by the Cuban Secretary of Agri- 

 culture to present a plan for this co- 

 operation to Mr. Franklin K. Lane, Secre- 

 tary of the Interior. 



If the plan meets with Mr. Lane's ap- 

 proval, it will enable the Cuban Govern- 

 ment to have the co-operation of the 

 Geological Survey in organizing along 

 proper lines a careful survey of Cuba's 

 mineral resources. It is especially de- 

 sirable to make adequate maps of the 

 more important zones in the mineral dis- 

 tricts of Cuba. 



CUBAN EXPOSITION 



According to press reports the Cuban 

 Government has practically perfected ar- 

 rangements for holding a mammoth Pan- 

 American exposition in Havana. It ex- 

 pects to begin operations April 1st and 

 to open early next fall, with the idea of 

 making the exposition a permanent affair. 

 The local government has appropriated 

 $20,000,000 for permanent buildings and 

 it is rumored that the Ritz-Carlton Hotel 

 Syndicate has signified a willingness to 

 erect a $1,000,000 hotel on the grounds. 

 All the nations of the world will be asked 

 to participate in the exposition with 

 official exhibits. 



INTERCHANGE OF STUDENTS AND 

 PROFESSORS 



The Cuban department of public in- 

 struction is greatly interested in the 

 plans for interchange of students and 

 professors between American universities 

 and Cuban educational institutions. The 

 presence of Dr. Schofield of Harvard 

 University, chairman of the committee on 

 foreign relations of the American Educa- 

 tional Council, has led the secretary of 

 public instruction to propose the de- 

 parture of two Cuban educators for the 

 United States. 



The Cuban professors chosen are Dr. 

 Carlos de la Torre of the University of 

 Havana, and Ramiro Guerra, who will 

 represent the normal schools and primary 

 instruction. They expect to sail for the 

 United States in August. 



