THE CUBA REVIEW 13 



HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE 



A matter of great moment to Cuba at present is the price which the United States f'ood 

 Administration will fix upon Cuban sugar and to which end a commission representing the 

 Cuban interests is now in \N'a.shington conferring with the American Covernment. 



President .Menocal on Sept. 20 gave to the Associated Press a statement embodying his 

 ideas in this connection, which is quoted below as being very pertinent to the subject, for he 

 speaks not only in his capacity as President of the Republic l)ut also from the standpoint of the 

 sugar planter himself: 



"I am very glad indeed to avail myself of this opportunity to express my personal and, in 

 so far a they reflect the feelings of the ('uban planters and producers, official views concerning 

 the sugar situation. 



In the first place, there is absolutel}' no question but that, owing to tlie causes with which 

 everyone is familiar, the world is faced with an vmdoubtcd shortage in the available supply of 

 sugar and, upon Cuba, at present the most important producer of that conunodity in the world, 

 falls the task of making up the deficit. 



We have energetically attacked tliis ])roblcm and will be ready to ofi'er the coming year, as 

 a partial solution, a sugar crop greater than any yet produced by any single country in the 

 world. Sugar is today an almost indispensable commodity, and it is up to us to see that as 

 much of it as we can physically produce is provided to meet the needs of the I nited States 

 and our other Allies. We want to cooperate with them to the fullest extent within our pf)\ver, 

 knowing that, as a matter of course, sacrifices must be made to helj) the common cause, but, 

 at the same time, it will nev(>r do to forget that the war has completely changed the conditions 

 of three years ago, and the almost incredible rise in the price of raw materials, machinery, labor, 

 etc., has more than duplicated the cost of making a pound of sugar, even in the largest and 

 best-managed mills. Conditions, too, will probably become steadily worse rather than better. 



So far as the coming conferences regarding control of the price of sugar are concerned, 1 

 am not at all disturbed. I know that the intentions of I\ir. H^oover and his associates are of the 

 best, and the}- are certainly trying to do what is right. An instance of this I find in the price 

 set for wheat, which is nearly three times that of the average before the war, in recognition of 

 the totally changed conditions prevailing now. If this is the case with wheat, how much more 

 is it so in that of sugar— an industry so beset by difficulties and severely tried in different crises 

 that this is the first real opportunity we have had to stabilize and help put it permanently on its 

 feet." 



The other knotty questions in connection with the coming sugar crop are the supplying 

 of field labor and the furnishing of sugar sacks. It is reported a representative of the Japanese 

 Government is here to acertain what arrangements could be made to import Japanese labor. 

 .\lso the contractor who supplied the Spanish labor for the work on the Panama Canal is here 

 with this same object in view. The sugar sacks ordinarily are imported directly from India, 

 but this movement has been cut off owing to war conditions. The Cuban Government is in 

 communication with both the British and Ajnerican authorities with a view to securing their 

 assistance in this respect. Great Britain apparently cannot spare ships to transport the sacks 

 from India, but has requested Cuba to advise what contracts for these sacks are still unfilled. 

 It is also reported that some Japanese tonnage will be supplied for this purpose and it is 

 further expected that the United States Government will furnish some ships to bring bags to 

 Cuba. 



There are no new developments in connection with the oil industry, although some work 

 in well-boring is going on, but the stocks of all companies have greatly declined, and it is re- 

 ported that a small group of local capitalists are working toward a consolidation of a few of the 

 most promising companies. 



The Empresa Xaviera de Cuba, the principal Cuban steamship line, has transferred three 

 of its boats, namely, "Purisima Concepcion," "Reina de los Angeles," and "Antinogenes 

 Menendez," to the shipping company "L'.Ancre Francaise." 



The "Almacenes de Deposito de la Habana," commonly known as San Jose wharves, were 

 recently sold, it is understood to the interests controlling the various Cuban railroads centering 

 at Havana, and this terminal property is now operated under the name of the American-Cuban 

 Estates Corporation. Considerable repairs and improvements will be made, and it is said that 

 two new piers will be built to be used by the Ward Line, who is alreadj^ discharging most of 

 its cargo boats there. 



